Improving integrated planning in Melbourne: Exploring barriers and enablers of health-promoting policy integration

Integrated planning across multiple sectors is essential for creating healthy communities, where jobs, shops and services are accessible from homes via walking, cycling or public transport. This paper explores barriers and enablers of health-promoting integrated planning in Melbourne, focussing on horizontal integration across Victorian state government departments and agencies. Content analysis was undertaken of Victorian state government policy documents that shape the health of urban environments. The planning strategy for Portland, Oregon, USA was also analysed, to identify lessons that might be drawn from the City of Portland, which is widely regarded as a leading example of integrated planning. In addition, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior policymakers from the Victorian state government and the City of Portland. Walt and Gilson's (1994) policy analysis framework was used to assess and categorise barriers and enablers of integrated planning into actor, process, content and context factors. Despite clear aspirations and efforts at health-promoting integrated planning in Victoria, this research suggests that key challenges remain, such as the disconnection between land use planning and infrastructure and service delivery. Recommendations for improving governance arrangements, policy processes and policy content are outlined, to assist in the creation of healthier communities through integrated planning