Southwark Council is set to improve the safety and inclusivity of parks and open spaces for teenage girls, following a motion passed at the Council Assembly meeting on 9 July 2025.

The council recognised that teenage girls often feel excluded from parks and open spaces, citing compelling evidence from the Make Space for Girls campaign1, and resolved to include a gender-inclusion strand in the new Green Spaces Plan. The council also committed to undertaking an audit of parks and play areas by Autumn 2026, engaging girls and young women to understand their needs, and delivering pilot interventions in parks or green spaces by Summer 2027.

Councillor Victoria Mills moved the motion, highlighting the need for green spaces to cater to the social needs of girls. The motion acknowledged evidence from the Make Space for Girls campaign, which indicates that teenage girls often feel unwelcome in these areas. To address these concerns, the council will also join the Make Space for Girls local authority network to share learning and push national standards forward.

The council has resolved to:

  • Include a gender-inclusion strand in the new Green Spaces Plan, specifically focused on teenage girls' use of parks and green spaces, and informed by the research and guidance from Make Space for Girls.
  • Undertake an audit of parks and play areas by Autumn 2026.
  • Engage girls and young women across the borough including through schools, youth groups and other community partners – to understand what facilities, layouts and activities would make public spaces work for them.
  • Deliver at least three co-designed pilot interventions by Summer 2027. Above all, these pilots should actively involve teenage girls in the design process to ensure that their specific needs and preferences are addressed, leading to more inclusive spaces.
  • Embed girl-inclusive principles in future park refurbishments.
  • Join the Make Space for Girls local authority network.
  • Publish an update report and ensure equalities reporting.

The pilot interventions will include features known to support the use of spaces by girls and young women such as:

  • Social Seating Arrangements
  • Subdivided and Open Sports Areas
  • Inclusion of Swings and Natural Play Elements
  • Accessible and Quality Toilets
  • Circular Pathways

The motion was carried at the Council Assembly meeting.

  1. The motion from Councillor Victoria Mills notes that there is compelling evidence from the Make Space for Girls campaign showing that teenage girls continue to feel excluded from parks and open spaces.