The Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC) have analysed towns and cities to expose the unhealthiest places. You can input your post code in the 'MAP OPTIONS' box found on the left of the page, as well as move the map and zoom in and out. The colour of the area relates to the scale found on the 'MAP KEY' to the right, the higher the number the unhealthier it is.
How does the map work?
The map tracks a CDRC's health index - also known as Access to Healthy Assets and Hazards (AHAH).
It takes into consideration:
Retail environment (access to fast food outlets, pubs, off-licences, tobacconists, gambling outlets)
Health services (access to GPs, hospitals, pharmacies, dentists, leisure services)
Physical environment (Blue Space, Green Space - Active, Green Space - Passive)
Air quality (Nitrogen Dioxide, Particulate Matter 10, Sulphur Dioxide).
Each of these factors is tracked and provides an overall AHAH score for that area.
The lower the score the healthier the area is, it appears blue on the map.
The higher scores are represented with red and indicates the town is less healthy than its blue counterparts.
Areas are also ranked one to 10 healthiest areas are given a rank of one while the unhealthiest regions are classed as a 10.
That was such an interesting bit of research. Thanks 2greys. As I suffer with bronchiectasis I'm delighted to find my home is a really healthy place to live.
That's interesting. My street is a 5, but the fields 100 yards away are 2. I must take to the fields. Actually I knew the air was deteriorating because a fine patch of lichen on the garage wall has died. I hope this map will make it easier to contest unsuitable planning applications.
Didn't work on my mobile, tried it couple of times. Pity would have liked to know about the area I live. Will try it on my laptop when I used it again. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Basically my area is not good mainly due to having two huge quarries within a few miles. There is a huge problem with Asthma in the young in my area. Years ago it was blamed on the coal mines but they were closed years ago and levels of chest conditions have not changed.
My postcode area came up as a 5 which is better than some places nearby. Unfortunately, they have probably taken into account a large area of green space that the developers are trying to get their hands on and will, without doubt, be built on to a greater or lesser degree in the next year or two.
The main road is already totally gridlocked at peak times and heavily congested at others and the new developments (two of them!) are expected to add another 800 homes, a medical centre, a school and industrial areas. The only possible way in and out of these developments will be by using the already totally congested road. It's completely mad!
It concerns me that a study like this shows our area to be healthier than it actually is. I think the findings are a little skewed due to us having a very nice park a mile away and the South Downs also less than a mile away. Although these would normally seem to be good things, the park itself is indeed, but the Downs seem to channel pollution our way. Eastbourne itself (we are just on the border) ranks amongst one of the places in England with the highest pollution and the geography of our lovely Downs is thought to be a significant factor as pollution seems to get trapped.
So while I think this is a great piece of work, and I thank you for finding it and posting it, I think it takes in such a broad range of factors (eg fast food restaurants, the number of medical centres etc) that its usefulness to me is limited.
Having said that, it was still somewhat reassuring to find that we were at 5 and not 10!
Surprising how areas just a short distance from town centres are so much better , I live just a mile from the centre , and it seems, in a much healthier environment. Although I do live in an urban area I’m in a small section with open country to the rear sandwiched between built up areas. I live in a row of five houses and when we moved in 20 years ago the other residents ranged in age from 91 to the youngest in her early 70 s, that lady is still going strong at 96! The original oldest lady died at 93 , the couple next door both reached 90plus and next door other side around mid eighties. I’m convinced this longevity is due to the air quality , the amount of trees etc at the rear and the fact that psychologically it is a stress free environment ( even though the front stands on a fairly busy road ) Interesting research 2greys , thanks 😊
This is really interesting, thanks. I imagined my area would have a very low number but it's a 10. I'm assuming the air quality is good here so it'll be the lack of things like dentist, hospital, pharmacy, fast food and other retail outlets, that are responsible for the high number.
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