Launched by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), with support from sustainable development consultancy Arup, the handbook is the result of extensive consultation and research to address gender biases in the traditional practice of urban design and planning, where the needs of women and girls are often not considered.

LLDC is thought to be the first local planning authority in the UK to publish such guidelines. The handbook provides practical steps that urban planners, developers, architects, and other stakeholders can take to ensure a gender-informed approach is applied in the planning, design and decision-making process – from the inception of any project through to delivery and long-term management.

Directly informed by local evidence, the handbook has been co-created with a diverse group of local women and girls and local stakeholders. The work was also shaped by emerging national and international studies and approaches. LLDC collaborated with gender equity experts, as well as others who are leading research and campaigning in this field, such as Make Space for Girls and UN Habitat.

Key recommendations in the handbook include:

• establishing clear organisational commitments for implementation of gender-inclusive processes in all projects and decisions;
• adopting mechanisms and governance frameworks to ensure continuity of these commitments and their effective delivery;
• informing decisions, strategies, and designs based on a genuine understanding of women’s and girls’ lived experiences through participatory-led approaches;
• adopting a holistic approach, with cross-boundary and cross-sector collaboration with key stakeholders, including education, social services, and policing; and
• measuring impact and successes to collect data aiding the identification of lessons learned, patterns, emerging trends, and good precedents.

Designing cities and places that cater to women and girls will make public realm safer, healthier, and more equitable for everyone, says the LLDC, which adds that the adoption of gender-informed urban design principles can help deliver fair access to services and opportunities, thereby advancing the socio-economic mobility of women and girls. This, it says, will not only improve, protect and empower the lives of women and girls but will also unlock the potential of both the public realm and individual developments to influence wider issues, such as climate change mitigation, sustainable development, and economic growth.

Engagement and co-design

Research and practice have shown that the most effective way to design places that work for women and girls is to engage them in the decision-making and design processes. The handbook outlines planning processes that LLDC follows to ensure the lived experiences of women and girls are directly incorporated into decision-making and development. Including their perspectives through participatory-led engagement methods, such as exploratory walks, co-design and co-clienting, ensures that any decision or intervention in the built environment directly responds to the needs of the community.

Moreover, the benefits of applying a gender-informed approach are already beginning to be realised. Emerging knowledge on the topic, for example, has influenced the redesign of the Waterden Green Play Area on the Park – a green space dedicated to teenagers. LLDC worked closely with local girls and young women to develop a co-client relationship, allowing their influence to help shape the project brief and choice of design team.

“If we’re to create places that are inclusive for all, then we must involve women and girls in the decision-making and design processes,” said Marina Milosev, LLDC’s principal planning officer. “This requires a long-term commitment to adopting planning policies and development processes that will lead to inclusive, healthy, child-friendly, and socially prosperous environments that feel safer for everyone. It will improve, protect, and empower the lives of women and girls while enhancing cities’ potential to address climate change, sustainable development, and economic growth.”

Mei-Yee Man Oram, access and inclusive environments operational leader at Arup, added: “For too long, the role that the built environment plays in the safety and inclusion of women, girls and gender-diverse people has been a secondary concern. Building and developing places guided by principles that explore different people’s experiences and perspectives is an important shift as we strive to create more positive spaces for all.”

The handbook has been dedicated to the late Pam Alexander OBE, a member of LLDC’s Board who was instrumental in pushing for the safety of women and girls to be a major focus for the local planning authority.