EXPERTS at the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC) have analysed areas across Hereford to expose the unhealthiest places in the city.

Specialists at CDRC investigated wellbeing by monitoring pollution levels in each Hereford neighbourhood, as well as the number of parks and recreational spaces.

The availability of health services, such as GP surgeries and pharmacies, and the number of takeaways, pubs and gambling shops was also considered.

An interactive map has now been created to display the findings.

How does the map work?

The map tracks a CDRC's health index, also known as Access to Healthy Assets and Hazards (AHAH).

It takes into consideration:

  • Retail environment (access to fast food outlets, pubs, off-licences, tobacconists, gambling outlets)
  • Health services (access to GPs, hospitals, pharmacies, dentists, leisure services)
  • Physical environment (Blue Space, Green Space - Active, Green Space - Passive)
  • Air quality (Nitrogen Dioxide, Particulate Matter 10, Sulphur Dioxide).

Each of these factors is tracked and provides an overall AHAH score for that area.

The lower the school the healthier the area is, it appears blue on the map.

The higher scores are represented with red and indicates the town is less healthy than its blue counterparts.

Areas are also ranked one to 10 healthiest areas are given a rank of one while the unhealthiest regions are classed as a 10.

If you want to check out your area in more detail you can view the whole map by clicking here.

This is how healthy each area of Hereford is:

East Hereford

Hereford Times: East Hereford with areas College Hill, Aylestone Hill, Eign Hill and Tupsley.East Hereford with areas College Hill, Aylestone Hill, Eign Hill and Tupsley.

The map of College Hill and Aylestone Hill shows an area of blue and green with a pocket of orange, scores between one and four, show it is largely healthy.

Eign Hill and the northern area of College Hill come out on top indicating these areas are the healthiest.

The lack of pubs and fast-food places contribute to these good scores.

North Hereford

Hereford Times: Holmer has ranked most unhealthy.Holmer has ranked most unhealthy.

Holmer in north Hereford ranks the unhealthiest place in the city.

The area has been ranked with a six with its air quality score at 26.

It does, however, seem to have good access to health services.

Central Hereford

Hereford Times: Hereford showed more yellow than blue.Hereford showed more yellow than blue.

Central Hereford, with areas Portfields, Moorfields, Bartonsham and Ryelands, has a mixture of colours with more yellow than blue.

It is home to high numbers of pubs, off-licences and takeaways.

The air quality across central Hereford is as bad as in London in many places, the maps shows, and it ranks air quality between 30-33.

West Hereford

Hereford Times: West Hereford with areas Bobblestock, Westfields, Moor Park, Widemarsh, Whitecross and Moorfields.West Hereford with areas Bobblestock, Westfields, Moor Park, Widemarsh, Whitecross and Moorfields.

For west Hereford, areas such as Whitecross, Moor Park, Widemarsh, Westfields, Bobblestock, Moorfields and Broomy Hill, the map shows a mixture of blue and green on the map indicating that some areas are far healthier than others.

With a score ranging between one and four, Whitecross ranks the healthiest in the area, with Westfields the unhealthiest.

South Hereford

Hereford Times: South Wye: Newton Farm, Hunderton, Blackmarstone, Red Hill, Putson, Lower BullinghamSouth Wye: Newton Farm, Hunderton, Blackmarstone, Red Hill, Putson, Lower Bullingham

The map in south Hereford, which includes Newton Farm, Hunderton, Red Hill, Blackmarstone, Putson and Lower Bullingham, shows a primarily blue area with pockets of yellow indicating the mostly healthy.

Newton Farm and Hunderton are the healthiest areas followed by Red Hill then Putson and Lower Bullingham.

Rotherwas is also on the list ranked with a nine, but it is largely industrial and office buildings.