We’re longstanding champions of Women in Property, and supported the network’s first ever in-person summit, ‘People, Places and Innovation’ in November.

In the run up to the event, Isla Jackson, director here at Civic Engineers, shared why it’s never been more important to focus on inclusivity as we create thriving, sustainable places in a piece first published by WiP:

Climate change will impact all of us, but, due to inequalities in society, not everyone will be affected in the same way.

And with the Government announcing its plans to rebuild Britain, kickstarting the delivery of 1.5m homes and investing in transport, it’s a critical moment for us to focus on inclusivity, sustainable living and community making as we repurpose our streets, spaces and places for the future.

Take the way we move around our built environment as one example where we must prioritise inclusivity. According to the latest National Travel Survey, the most common trip purpose in the UK in 2023 was shopping (18%). And yet, all too often, transport networks are planned around commuting, which accounts for only 13% of journeys.

When we look at the survey’s gender disaggregated data, men travel longer distances by car, and women make shorter distance trips, and are more often on foot. If we shifted our planning to accommodate these patterns, we could make these shorter journeys – of which there are so many – safe and attractive to do on foot, or by bike. Imagine the time and carbon saved, not to mention the drop in emissions and reduction of congestion.

We are currently working across the UK to develop projects which will improve those shorter and more local journeys that will undoubtedly benefit women, as well as older and younger people, disabled people or those who might not have access to cars.

Projects such as Glasgow’s transformative ‘Avenues’, Northfield Grove and Making Places Woodside here in Scotland, alongside the newly-opened Kingsway in Stretford and Climate Innovation District in Leeds, all prioritise cycle lanes and improved crossings to support more walking, wheeling and cycling.

Alongside the active travel provision in these schemes, we’ve weaved in nature-based solutions and sustainable urban drainage to reduce the risk of flooding, and create more attractive, safer and nature-based public realms and streets that are both more inclusive and climate resilient.

Inclusive planning must be wide ranging, with an in-depth examination of barriers to active travel. A key factor is around safety and perceptions of safety in public spaces. This means thinking carefully about planting, lighting and how an attractive tree-lined path, which seems so pleasant on a summer afternoon, can have an entirely different atmosphere on a wet winter evening. We need to think not just about the mapping of a project, but about the behaviours that will be projected on it.

With transport accounting for a quarter of all carbon emissions, it is imperative that we find more environmentally-friendly ways to get around. And doing this means developing safe and efficient transport networks with the lives and experiences of women in mind.

The schemes delivered must be assessed for gender equality, and invested fairly in the lives of everyone, starting with low-tech, easy to navigate walking infrastructure, and hard-wiring in places where women and girls feel comfortable and confident enough to reclaim the streets.

Excellent cycling infrastructure would allow many more to cycle around town; and they would be fitter and more confident when it comes to travelling on their own. We must plan our streets and transport networks to accommodate this flexibility, so that active, clean travel becomes the optimum way to get around for everyone.

Inclusivity means creating happier, healthier and more sustainable communities, which is why it’s vital that diverse perspectives are at the heart of our designs for buildings, parks, towns and cities.