L&Q's Vicky Savage signs open letter to Michael Gove

Our Executive Group Director for Development and Sales, Vicky Savage joins the cause for more gender-inclusive public spaces in the UK.

Organisations from across the UK property industry, including L&Q, have worked alongside independent advisory, Turley, in issuing a letter to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, emphasising the need for national planning policy to address the lack of consideration for women and girls, including both cisgender and transgender women and girls, when creating public spaces across the UK.

In signing the letter, Vicky, (and L&Q) urges the government to focus on “designing and delivering public spaces that are fun and judgement-free” for women and girls specifically, adding that the government should “ensure gender mainstreaming is integrated into all planning policy” and that policymakers take account of “women’s interests and concerns to create a more equitable landscape”.

Gender mainstreaming policies have been integrated successfully into planning systems in cities like Vienna and Barcelona, whilst Glasgow City Council has voted unanimously in favour of putting women at the heart of urban planning. 

The UK has the potential to become a world leader in nationwide gender-inclusive planning, paving a path to a future where every individual, regardless of their gender, is afforded equal opportunities to thrive. However, this relies on the government taking the lead by setting policy expectations.

Read the full letter (PDF).