Building for Health: Redefining the Future of Our Communities

Across the UK, where you live still determines how long you live. The difference in life expectancy between the most and least affluent areas now spans almost ten years — a stark reminder that health inequality is shaped not only by healthcare, but by the way our towns and cities are planned, built, and lived in.

The NHS cannot close this gap alone. The environments we create — our homes, streets, workplaces and public spaces — play a crucial role in supporting wellbeing.

Increasingly, the property and development sectors are recognising that delivering new homes and infrastructure is only part of the solution.

The real challenge lies in creating places that help people to live well — physically, mentally, and socially.

Paul Nicholson, CEO & Kevin Sharp, Director of Construction

A Shift in How We Build

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) now places clear emphasis on creating “healthy, inclusive and safe places.” This is more than a planning guideline; it marks a shift in mindset. Health and wellbeing must be embedded from the very start of a project, not treated as an optional extra once the masterplan is complete.

However, delivery often struggles to meet ambition. Pressures around funding, viability, and fragmented decision-making can mean that even well-intentioned schemes fail to deliver their full potential once occupied. To truly move the dial, health and community resilience must be seen as fundamental outcomes of good design — not by-products of it.

Designing for Long-Term Wellbeing

Creating healthy communities demands more than attractive architecture. It requires deep understanding of how people live, work, and connect — and a commitment to long-term stewardship. Features such as green spaces, shared courtyards, and active transport links must be designed not only to look good, but to endure and add value over time.

When governance, maintenance, and engagement are considered from the outset, communities can flourish. When they are not, these same features risk becoming burdens rather than benefits. That’s why aligning health, design and delivery is essential for the success of any new development.

Spotlight: Liverpool City Region

Few places demonstrate the need for this joined-up approach more clearly than the Liverpool City Region. The area faces some of the widest health inequalities in the country, with life expectancy in its most deprived neighbourhoods up to fifteen years lower than in more affluent areas.

These disparities are closely linked to the quality of housing, access to green space, and opportunities for active living.

In response, local authorities and development partners are re-evaluating how planning, regeneration and health policy intersect. There is a growing commitment to creating well-connected, walkable neighbourhoods, improving housing standards, and embedding wellbeing into urban design.

The region is starting to show how collaboration between planners, developers, and public health teams can create environments that promote equality and long-term community strength.

Setting a New Standard

At Nicholson Group, we have always understood that the built environment directly shapes wellbeing.

Our luxury furnished apartments across the North West are designed with this principle in mind — offering high-quality living environments that are not only stylish and convenient, but actively support a balanced lifestyle.

Our developments are particularly suited to young professionals seeking vibrant, well-connected urban living.

With specialist-trained staff and an award-winning management service, we go beyond the traditional developer model. Every aspect of what we deliver — from design and furnishing to community engagement — is guided by a commitment to quality, sustainability, and resident wellbeing.

In many ways, Nicholson Group is already ten steps ahead of most developers. While others are only beginning to explore how housing and health connect, our approach has long been rooted in that understanding.

We build and manage spaces that foster connection, comfort, and long-term value — proving that good design and good health go hand in hand.

Towards a Healthier Urban Future

Closing the gap in health outcomes across the UK depends on aligning national ambition with local action. It means recognising that better homes and neighbourhoods are the foundation for a healthier, more resilient society.

Healthier, better-connected communities are not only socially stronger — they are economically stronger too. They attract talent, sustain investment, and reduce pressure on public services.

Ultimately, the future of development lies in building with communities, not just for them. By embedding wellbeing, education and social value at the heart of placemaking, we move beyond simply constructing housing — and towards creating environments where people can truly live well.

Nicholson Group

Delivering quality homes, sustainable communities, and healthier futures.

www.nicholsongroup.com