The 2021 Census data and what it means for the built environment

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Throughout November, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has been releasing data from the 2021 Census. Although early doors with more data to come, the initial results are not surprising when it comes to ethnic minority communities and their growth over the last 10 years. We are living in a UK which is more racially, ethnically, religiously and culturally diverse than it was in 2011 and this has huge implications for built environment practitioners. It’s not enough to have ethnic diversity as an afterthought in your company organisation and outputs, it must be completely integral to your company policies, your work and how you operate. In this piece, we share some of the key findings regarding minority communities, the impact this will have on the built environment and how BAME in Property can help you.

Key findings from the 2021 Census

• One in six people living in England and Wales were born outside of the UK, an increase of 2.5 million since 2011, from 7.5 million to 10 million. Of these, 4.2 million had arrived since 2011, 2.7 million between 2001 and 2010, and 3.1 million before 2001.

• India remained the most common country of birth outside of the UK in 2021 (920,000 people - 1.5% of all residents), followed by Poland (743,000 people - 1.2%) and Pakistan (624,000 - 1.0%).

• 59.1% of the people of Leicester are now from ethnic minority groups, a major change since 1991, when black and minority ethnic people made up just over a quarter of the city’s residents. Leicester’s Asian population first became well established after 20,000 people settled in the east Midlands manufacturing city after expulsion from Uganda in 1972.

• Minority ethnic people also make up more than half the population in Luton (54.8%) and Birmingham (51.4%), the UK’s second largest city where 20 years ago seven out of 10 people were white. Since the second world war, Birmingham’s population has grown with immigration from the Caribbean and south Asia, as well as Gujaratis who had been in east Africa.

• The census revealed a 5.5 million drop in the number of Christians and a 44% rise in the number of people following Islam. It is the first time in a census of England and Wales that less than half of the population have described themselves as “Christian”.

So, what does this mean for the built environment?

No doubt, there is a huge role for planning and engagement professionals to tackle racial inequalities and differences in housing and living arrangements across ethnic communities. This could be better consideration to design needs, layouts, as well as thinking about language translation and engagement with community and ethnic minority leaders. Gone are the days of town hall or even online exhibitions, it's time to think more creatively and inclusively.

“Current retirement living housing doesn't always suit ethnic minority communities. Sometimes there are no vegetarian or Halal kitchens, or carers who speak the native language. Most are located by churches but not temples or mosques."

Different cultures and communities live in different ways. In many regions in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, multigenerational living is the norm. But our new builds are usually smaller (and more expensive), hardly accommodating larger families. Additionally, most new homes have open plan kitchens, but in many cultures, there is a preference to separate the kitchen from the living area, to reduce cooking odours spreading. These aren’t just cultural differences but a different way of living that can’t be ignored.

Planning and engagement consultants will need to start incorporating design workshops into their programmes, to really understand design specifics and preferences, which can enhance developments, bring communities on board, and in due course, result in better housing.

Finally, current retirement living housing doesn't always suit ethnic minority communities. Sometimes there are no vegetarian or Halal kitchens, or carers who speak the native language. Most are located by churches but not temples or mosques. Whilst multigenerational housing is common amongst some communities, with smaller housing and more assimilation to Western norms, living arrangements in South Asian communities are changing. But cultural differences will need to be reflected in retirement living complexes to ensure they are meeting different communities’ needs.

Ultimately, this all comes down to the housing allocation in Local Plans, which will likely need a rethink to ensure we are serving diverse communities better.

“You can only implement inclusive designs if you have diverse teams and embrace inclusivity in your organisations."

How can BAME in Property support you

There are many organisations out there who are already implementing better planning and engagement strategies. But, if this data feels a little overwhelming, we at BAME in Property are here to help. Here’s how:

• Want to know more about the challenges and inequalities facing ethnic minority communities with housing and how to engage better with them? We hold a workshop on this very topic and have delivered it to Homes England, Pocket Living, Thirteen Housing Group, The Planning Inspectorate, and to students at UCL, Birmingham and Hertfordshire, to name a few.

• We help organisations reach different audiences through sensitive approaches, which consider ethnic and cultural differences. This could be liaison through a community or religious leader to help understand nuances within a group and to build that all-important trust or reaching out to hyperlocal publications and radio stations to ensure key messages are reaching the communities that need to hear them. We’re passionate about communities having their say, resulting in better relationships with developers. We’re currently working with Thirteen Housing Group on design workshops with the Indian and Pakistani communities in Kirklees, to ensure their housing their needs and culture are incorporated into the plans.

• You can only implement inclusive designs if you have diverse teams and embrace inclusivity in your organisations. If we can support you with EDI challenges or help you advertise roles to some different and ethnically diverse audiences, please get in touch.

Email Priya.shah@bameinproperty.com to chat to us about how we can support you. More information on our Services page here.