title: A new urban planning code's impact on walking: the residential environments project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined whether people moving into a housing development designed according to a state government livable neighborhoods subdivision code engage in more walking than do people who move to other types of developments.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a natural experiment of 1813 people building homes in 73 new housing developments in Perth, Western Australia, we surveyed participants before and then 12 and 36 months after moving. We measured self-reported walking using the Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire and collected perceptions of the environment and self-selection factors. We calculated objective measures of the built environment using a Geographic Information System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After relocation, participants in livable versus conventional developments had greater street connectivity, residential density, land use mix, and access to destinations and more positive perceptions of their neighborhood (all P < .05). However, there were no significant differences in walking over time by type of development (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of the Livable Neighborhoods Guidelines produced more supportive environments; however, the level of intervention was insufficient to encourage more walking. Evaluations of new urban planning policies need to incorporate longer term follow-up to allow time for new neighborhoods to develop.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia. hayley.christian@uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knuiman
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Timperio
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Divitini
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: Billie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giles-Corti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002028:Building Codes / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D002958:City Planning / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection; D004779:Environment Design / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D013219:State Government; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014186:Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014904:Western Australia