Inclusive Environments, Built Environment Industry Action Plan

On 25 February 2015, the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) set out a new construction industry action plan to make buildings and public spaces more inclusive.

This follows on from, and builds upon, the successful inclusive design of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Park.

On 24 February 2015, Minister for Communities Stephen Williams MP and Minister for Disabled People Mark Harper MP jointly chaired a meeting of senior professionals from the construction industry to review their plans for promoting and integrating inclusive design into working practice.

They published a short document ‘Inclusive Environments, Built Environment Industry Action Plan’ which committed to:

• Reviewing competencies, including vocational courses, to ensure inclusive environments are properly supported.
• Collaborating on industry wide and sectoral continuing professional development (CPD).
• Rewarding excellence and celebrating success.
• Championing inclusive design through leadership and promoting awareness.
• Collaborating on research, innovation and continual improvement across industry.
• Communicating best practice to members and encouraging knowledge sharing between professional institutions via the Inclusive Environments Hub.

The action plan brings together 14 key organisations and a wider network of construction industry partners through the Construction Industry Council (CIC) who have committed to raise profile and champion inclusive design. It is a rolling programme of measures to make buildings, streets and public spaces more inclusive and accessible to all. Signatories to the action plan will prepare a report on the progress that has been made, and their plans to update the action plan, and present this to the Minister for Building Regulations and the Minister for Disabled People in February 2016.

John Mathers, Design Council CEO said: “Our goal is to ensure that creating inclusive environments for everyone becomes the standard approach to planning, design, construction and management practice.” Ref Gov.uk Creating inclusive buildings and design 25 February 2015.

Mark Harper MP, Minister for Disabled People said: “There are 12.2 million disabled people in the UK. They and their households have an estimated spending power of over £200bn… Yet the reality is that many disabled people still face barriers in their everyday lives that prevent them from being full and active members of their community. Removing the obstacles that disabled people face is the responsibility of all of us. Inclusive design is at the heart of this."

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Access consultant.
• Access and inclusion in the built environment: policy and guidance.
• Accessible London.
• CABE.
• Changing lifestyles.
• Construction Industry Council
• Design Council.
• Equality Act.
• Inclusive design.
• Older people.
• People with disabilities.
• Smart cities.
• Special educational needs: an analysis of the necessities for inclusion