Social Equity in Urban Projects

New Urbanism aims to promote sustainable urban projects; however, it is often critiqued for excluding lower-income groups, thereby reducing social equity (Trudeau, 2018). Although social equity is a foundational element of conceptual frameworks for sustainable urban development, its implementation often falls short in practice, creating a gap between theory and reality (Ahmad, 2024; Manaugh, Badami, & El-Geneidy, 2015; Srinivasan, 2024). Submissions to this project would seek to address that gap by exploring strategies, contexts, and processes that promote social equity in existing sustainable urban development projects.

The project draws from various studies, including Trudeau (2018), who argues that social equity must be considered from the beginning of sustainable development initiatives to ensure fair access and prevent exclusion. Examining how social equity is conceptualised, operationalised, and prioritised relative to environmental and other objectives is crucial for developing more inclusive project designs (Manaugh, Badami, & El-Geneidy, 2015).

This research will assess how different urban development projects effectively incorporate community participation and address social equity concerns. By examining real-world cases, the project aims to highlight how inclusive decision-making and equitable resource distribution can enhance social outcomes. For instance, Srinivasan (2024) emphasises the importance of integrating community engagement in urban development, while Ahmad (2024) highlights the need for comprehensive evaluations of long-term impacts to ensure that equity-focused initiatives build resilient communities.

This project will address three core gaps in literature. The first is the need for an equity-focused design metrics, which include criteria for evaluating inclusivity in projects, with metrics assessing factors such as housing affordability, access to green spaces, and public transportation reach (Angel et al., 2018; McKinsey Global Institute, 2016). The second is stakeholder engagement tools, which are guidelines to ensure local community involvement, shown to improve the relevance and success of urban projects (Ahmad, 2024; Srinivasan, 2024; OECD, 2020). The third includes impact and progress evaluation tools, which provide mechanisms for assessing social impact metrics like income distribution and access to services, thereby measuring equity outcomes over time (Ahmad, 2024; Manaugh, Badami, & El-Geneidy, 2015; OECD, 2020).

This project seeks demonstrate how social equity considerations can be systematically integrated into project planning, execution, and evaluation processes. By embedding social equity within the project management framework, the study will highlight the importance of setting inclusive benchmarks and evaluating success in terms of equitable outcomes. It will provide project managers with tools and methodologies for incorporating social equity from project inception to completion, thereby enhancing the social impact of urban projects.

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Applications for October 2025 intake closes on 1st July 2025 and applications for Jan 2026 intake closes on 1st October 2025.