Chapter 5: Create and develop sustainable places and communities
Urban planning and design
There can be no inclusive cities without gender-inclusive urban design and planning. Gender-inclusive design and planning must actively include the voice of women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities.
(The World Bank (2020). Handbook for gender-inclusive urban planning and design)
There continues to be a one-sided perspective on the urban agenda, with many urban planning and design fields being dominated by men. Internationally, women occupy just 10% of the highest-ranking jobs at the world's leading architecture firms and in the US comprise only 13.6% of architects and engineers. In the UK, 71% of people on the Architects Register at the end of 2019 were male and 29% female. Encouragingly, gender parity was achieved among UK architects for those under 30 (ARB Annual Accounts), with a 50/50 split between males and females being registered.
(Architects Registration Board. (2020). ARB Publishes its latest annual report.)
However, latest figures (2021) suggest females make up just 16.5% of all engineers in the UK.
(Silbey SS (2016). Why do so many women who study engineering leave the field?)
Because of a variety of reasons, such as economic pressures, social norms and caring responsibilities, women and girls are often underrepresented in community planning and design processes too. As such, it is very difficult for women and girls to make their voices heard in this area.
There are many connections between the built environment, gender bias in planning and design processes and also social and economic exclusion. However if a gender-inclusive approach is taken, the opposite can happen.
(The World Bank (2020). Handbook for gender-inclusive urban planning and design.)
There are six aspects of the built environment that when combined with gender inequalities, lead to restrictions and inconvenience, and even potential danger to women and girls. However, by addressing each issue and turning them into opportunities, a more economic and socially inclusive environment is promoted:
(The World Bank (2020). Handbook for gender-inclusive urban planning and design.)
| 1. Accessible | Everyone can access the public areas freely, easily, and comfortably to use the spaces and services on offer |
| 2. Connected | Everyone can move around the city safely, easily and affordably to reach key opportunities and services |
| 3. Safety | Everyone is free from real and perceived danger, in public and private |
| 4. Healthy | Everyone has the opportunity to lead an active lifestyle, free from environmental health risks |
| 5. Climate resilient | Everyone has the tools and social networks to successfully prepare for, respond to, and cope with climate disasters |
| 6. Secure | Everyone can obtain or access secure housing and land to live, work and build wealth and agency |
Gateshead has published a Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan.
Although the plan does not directly address gender, there are a number of objectives and policies that enable the Council, and its partners, to plan positively for gender equality. All development is fully inclusive, irrespective of cultural background, ethnicity, and age. This is so that we are able to meet, and celebrate, the diverse and cultural needs of
our residents and communities. Preparation of the Local Plan included various stages of consultation with many organisations and individuals included to ensure residents of Gateshead were represented and inequalities could be addressed.
The Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan aims to:
- Provide opportunities to enable a high quality of life and to enhance the wellbeing of people and reduce inequalities
- Ensure a connected, distinctive, and thriving borough to help drive growth and support a successful sustainable future (referred to as the Spatial Strategy for Sustainable Growth)
- Improve transport, incorporating direct, safe, secure, and continuous pedestrian and cycling links
- Improve wellbeing and health, such as creating an age friendly, healthy and equitable living environment
- Create 'good place-making' which means creating safe and inclusive environments, ensuring connectivity and accessibility, and strengthening the connection between people and the places they share
It's worth noting that despite the bias towards men in the planning profession nationally and internationally, this is not the case within the Spatial Development Team in Gateshead. Of the eight Planners and Senior Planners in the team, six of them identify as female. The team is also led by a female Service Director. This strong female-led team provides further opportunities to ensure gender is considered within the planning process.