Women are playing an increasingly pivotal role in shaping the UK construction industry, with forward-thinking developers recognising that diversity is essential to the sector’s long-term success.
Women now make up around 15 per cent of the construction workforce. Still a minority, but a steadily growing one. At Allison Homes, two senior leaders exemplify the opportunities and impact women are bringing to the industry: Sophie Kendal, Land and Partnerships Director, and Georgina McCrae, Planning Director.
Pioneering Progress in Land and Partnerships
With a degree in Human Geography and Town Planning, Sophie Kendal’s career reflects the widening pathways for women in construction. After early roles at major PLCs, she joined Allison Homes in 2023 and progressed rapidly to Land and Partnerships Director for the East Region in 2024.
Sophie has witnessed the sector evolve first-hand. “The industry used to be very male-dominated, but now more and more women are entering, which is amazing to see,” she says. Her role spans identifying new land opportunities, negotiating partnerships, and shaping future communities. As she explains, “I love that no day is ever the same and it’s really rewarding that you are able to provide homes for generations to come.”
Her journey underscores the importance of visibility, networking, and early exposure to core industry functions; factors she believes are critical to supporting more women into senior roles.
Breaking Barriers in Planning
For Planning Director Georgina McCrae, a geography and planning background led to an early career across housing associations and major housebuilders before she joined Allison Homes in 2023. Her rise reflects both determination and an openness to taking on new challenges.
“As a woman in the industry, you can often be one of a few, if not the only woman in the room, but you have as much right and ability to influence discussions as anybody else,” she explains.
At Allison Homes, Georgina values the collaborative nature of planning. “Diversity comes naturally through the range of internal and external input into our planning strategies,” she says.
She credits strong mentorship, particularly from senior female leaders, as instrumental to her growth, noting Verity Macey who “empowered me to make decisions and showed me I could achieve things I hadn’t realised before.”
Georgina thrives on the problem-solving nature of planning. “Overcoming the sometimes-never-ending hurdles of the planning process is the part of the job I enjoy the most,” she says.
A Leadership Commitment to Culture and Representation
Group Chief Executive John Anderson puts it simply: “Fifty percent of our buyers are women, so at the very least, 50 per cent of the influence on all key decisions should be from the female perspective.”
“We should employ the best person for the role,” he adds, “but by investing in an environment that encourages more women to join and stay, we will enjoy the benefits of the influence women bring.” Today, 38 per cent of the Allison Homes workforce is female, well above the industry norm.
For Head of HR Zoe Evans, visibility is vital: “Construction must be sold as a dynamic career with multiple opportunities. You can’t be what you can’t see.” Her team works to engage schools, support apprenticeships, and ensure women are represented at recruitment and outreach events.
A Future Built on Inclusion
Women like Sophie and Georgina are redefining what a career in construction looks like, proving that the industry offers rich, rewarding opportunities for women with ambition and passion.