Swimmable places: why blue infrastructure is essential to liveable cities

Standfirst: London's Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan sets out a 10-year vision for swimmable waterways. Saluura argues this points to a bigger truth — the future of healthy cities may depend as much on blue infrastructure as green.

Swimmable Places are an essential part of liveable cities.

What is likely to be the hottest summer on record brings into sharp focus the need to address the climate emergency and be better prepared for extreme weather. Climate change is also a health emergency, which can be addressed through the design of places.

London's plan for swimmable waterways

Published in July 2026, the Mayor of London's Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan sets out an ambitious 10-year vision to reduce pollution, restore habitats, improve access to blue spaces and make London's waterways swimmable.

This is exactly the kind of change to London that Saluura place-based wellness appraisal, design and delivery framework is designed to deliver. We are calling for a repeat of the 1920s and 1930s Golden Era of new outdoor pools - and also water for play - as part of inclusive, liveable and resilient places for people.

How Saluura sees the wider wellness ecosystem

Saluura recognises that wellness is shaped not only by buildings, but by the wider ecosystem of parks, waterways, public spaces, active travel routes, biodiversity and community infrastructure that people experience every day. Saluura assesses wellness across six dimensions, including physical, mental, social and environmental wellbeing, while considering the wider neighbourhood context.

The benefits of a swimmable London

A swimmable London has the potential to deliver multiple wellness and social value benefits including increased physical activity and active recreation, greater access to nature and blue spaces, improved mental wellbeing and stress reduction, enhanced biodiversity and more attractive and resilient places to live, work and invest.

Turning ambition into evidence-based action

Saluura helps developers, estates, investors, BIDs and local authorities assess how effectively places support these outcomes today and identifies practical place-based interventions that can improve wellness. It translates health, wellbeing and environmental ambitions into evidence-based recommendations for planning, regeneration and investment.

Places shaping wellness: The future of healthy cities may depend as much on blue infrastructure as green infrastructure.

Sources:

BBC News - https://lnkd.in/ewgCDvyU

Mariana Mazzucato: Who Gets to Swim - https://lnkd.in/e6hzmMU5

About Saluura

Saluura is a place-based wellness appraisal, design and delivery framework, helping developers, investors, local authorities and regeneration projects create healthier, more liveable places. Get in touch at more@saluura.com or visit saluura.com.