Place Partnerships

The Essex LDP helped shape healthier, more active communities by showing how physical activity can strengthen wellbeing, connection, and resilience across neighbourhoods. Its learning has been central to understanding what different communities need and how best to support them.

In November 2023, Sport England confirmed a major shift towards deeper, long‑term investment in local places. This evolution recognises the success of the LDP and paved the way for Essex to transition into Place Partnerships; an approach that continues the spirit of innovation while embedding it more firmly within local systems. These partnerships are carrying forward the insights gained through the LDP, ensuring that future work remains rooted in the diverse realities of communities across Essex.

Castle Point has focused on early partnership building and identifying communities facing the greatest barriers to activity, beginning a transformative journey to tackle inactivity and health inequalities. Following the development phase in 2024, the partnership worked closely with local stakeholders to co‑design priorities grounded in residents lived experiences.

This collaborative effort has united system leaders, schools, health partners, leisure providers and the voluntary sector behind a shared ambition to improve physical and mental health through increased activity. As the programme moves toward 2026, it is embedding sustainable change by activating local assets, creating inclusive opportunities and aligning with wider priorities such as regeneration, health and active travel.

Harlow has strengthened connections across health, youth and community safety partners to create a more joined‑up system, while establishing several community‑based programmes shaped by local engagement to improve access to green spaces and support the sustainability of local clubs.

By combining Sport England investment with strong local insight, the partnership is ensuring interventions follow an Asset Based Community Development approach, with communities driving decision‑making. As a result, tailored initiatives such as family activity sessions to youth engagement projects and programmes for older adults, are expanding the range of opportunities for residents to be active across Harlow.

Thurrock has built on strong existing community networks, aligning physical activity with wider regeneration and wellbeing priorities, and using these relationships to shape a more coordinated, place‑based approach.

Over the past year, partners have worked closely with residents, voluntary groups and local services to ensure activity opportunities reflect the needs of different neighbourhoods, while also connecting this work to broader ambitions around health, community resilience and local development. This collaborative foundation is helping Thurrock embed physical activity into everyday settings and create sustainable change driven by the strengths and assets of its communities.

Basildon has deepened its work in priority wards, expanding community‑led activity and strengthening local leadership through a more coordinated, place‑based approach. Over the past year, partners have focused on empowering residents and local organisations to shape activity that reflects the needs of their neighbourhoods, building confidence, capacity and stronger community ownership.

This has led to a growing number of locally designed initiatives and a more connected network of leaders who are driving change from within their communities, helping to embed physical activity into everyday life across Basildon.

Colchester has embedded physical activity more deeply within local systems by bringing together health partners, the voluntary sector and community hubs under a shared approach. By uniting two steering groups into a single, cohesive leadership structure, the partnership has gained the collective strength needed to drive long‑term, sustainable change. As a result a strong platform for shared learning, insight and coordinated action across both districts, has enabled partners to pool experience, resources and local knowledge so decisions are inclusive and rooted in residents’ real needs.

This collaborative model has already strengthened strategic direction and positioned North Essex to deliver lasting impact through a more connected, community‑focused system.

Tendring has continued its hyper‑local approach, working closely with residents to shape activity that reflects local realities and builds on the strengths of each neighbourhood. Over the past year, partners have deepened relationships with community groups, local services and residents to co‑design opportunities that feel accessible, relevant and rooted in everyday life.

This is an approach that has helped ensure physical activity is embedded in ways that genuinely meet local needs, strengthening community ownership and supporting sustainable change across Tendring.