Building for healthy and active lives

CEWales invites you to a conference focusing on – "Infrastructure: supporting healthy & active lives." Why? Because all elements of construction have an impact on the wellbeing of people in Wales and we have a duty to make sure what is planned, designed and then built supports healthy and active living as championed in the Wellbeing Future Generations Act and the Active Travel Act.

Infrastructure projects of all types, schools, hospitals, transport and urban regeneration – provide an opportunity to meet health and wellbeing objectives, transforming our streets and communities and bringing people together. Following its 2019 Annual Conference CECA Wales prepared a joint report with ACE and the County Surveyors Society (CSS) Cymru, titled "Infrastructure: supporting healthy & active lives". The report makes the case for integrated infrastructure planning which promotes active lifestyles and creates active, social places.

The key word is integrated – because this work unites the industry, which is why CE Wales is supporting CECA Wales. For example, we need to break down barriers that might lead to cycling being encouraged within a school build design but the ability to actually ride a bike safely to the school itself is compromised due to poor road design and a lack of a safe cycling infrastructure. For more background read this piece from Ed Evans, director of CECA Wales.

The report answered five questions which will be debated at the event on 27th February:

1. Is stronger political leadership required?
2. What evidence is needed to justify investment?
3. Who pays?
4. Who will take responsibility?
5. How can we win hearts and minds?

This is all about creating a Welsh built environment that is focussed on wellbeing – delivering healthy and active lives. It has to be integrated – up and down the entire supply chain - and that is why CEWales is supporting CECA Wales to work with all construction infrastructure partners and stakeholder groups to:

• agree and drive forward an integrated transport policy that champions active travel and healthier living
• gather evidence and research to help make the case for justifying active travel and investment in accordance with the Well-being Goals
• identify and break down the barriers that prevent the integrated planning and funding of active travel initiatives, and
• support the "mainstreaming" of good practices in active travel across the infrastructure sector.

This conference aims to take this plan of action forward and gives you the opportunity to influence that direction of travel. To book a place at the event on 27th February at Blake Morgan's offices in Cardiff contact to book your place click here. To read the report: "Infrastructure: supporting healthy & active lives" click here.