Where people are born, where they grow up, play, live, work and age has a profound influence over their opportunities to lead long, healthy and happy lives. Some of the UK's most pressing health challenges, including obesity, poor mental health and low levels of physical activity, can all be affected by the design and quality of our built and natural environments.

Local government can exert considerable powers and influence over place: influencing the built and natural environment for example through planning, transport, environmental health, licensing and leisure services; commissioning and providing services through departments such as adult social care, children's services, public health and housing; and the setting of key strategies, processes and objectives such as corporate strategies, adopting a health in all policies approach and committing to impact assessment of authority decisions.