Parham, E.; Jones, E.; McCoshan, E.; Chen, P.N. Understanding how urban form enables walking Research Paper Understanding how urban form enables walking Ed PARHAM, Space Syntax, UK Eleri JONES, Space Syntax, UK Ella McCOSHAN, Space Syntax, UCL, UK Po Nien CHEN, Space Syntax, UCL, UK Abstract Health outcomes such as obesity are a priority challenge for the UK government. Increasing active travel levels is a policy goal which aims to tackle the obesity problem by encouraging people to be physically active for at least 20 minutes a day. However, walking or cycling as part of a daily life style is only possible if the built environment makes it possible. In response to this challenge, our study combines Space Syntax Integrated Urban Modelling with socio-economic datasets (including Age, Income, Household Size), to identify the characteristics where people walk to work across England’s 333 Local Authorities and almost 7,000 MSOAs. Using multi- variate regression models with high degrees of explanatory power (0.88 and 0.66 R-squared at Local Authority and MSOA levels) we identify the built environment characteristics that can be shaped by planners and designers to encourage walking, specifically focussing on the network of streets, land use and density distribution. Keywords Walkability, 15-minute city, Evidence-based design, Spatial analysis, Health, Obesity 1. Introduction In the UK, obesity costs the NHS over £1b per year, with further indirect costs calculated at £8.2b (DfT). Both central and local government departments and organisations including HM Treasury, Department for Transport, Department of Health and Social Care, the National Health Service and Transport for London, have all produced policies aiming to combat this. These policies consider multiple areas of intervention, from a sugar tax, to banning fast food take aways near schools, to providing better active travel infrastructure. It is estimated by TfL that if all Londoners walk or cycle 20 minutes a day it could save the NHS £1.7b in treatment costs over 25 years (TFL). In addition to health benefits, fewer people driving delivers wider advantages in terms of reduced fossil fuel use and better air quality. However, when looking at the findings of recent reports, it is clear that the UK is not delivering places that make it possible to walk or cycle as part of an everyday lifestyle (RTPI, TfNH). This paper summarises the findings of a series of real-world projects and internal research carried out from 2016 – 2022, to identify the physical conditions associated with places where more people walk and cycle, in order that these conditions can be put in place through planning and design. It identifies which locations at the city level are more suitable for walking and cycling, as well as how to develop these conditions at the masterplan scale.