Ten Councils to Test Digital Tools

Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP has announced a £1.1 million fund to test the use of digital tools and data standards across 10 local areas.

The planning White Paper, ‘Planning for the future’, first published in August 2020, proposed reforms to the planning system to help streamline and modernise the planning process. The pathfinder programme will look at the digital transformation of local plans that will increase community involvement and speed up the planning process.

A new digital system that makes plans map-based and accessible online will mean that local people will be able to engage with planning in their local areas, and will also help homes be built quicker.

Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP said: “We are moving away from notices on lamp posts to an interactive and accessible map-based online system – placing planning at the fingertips of people.

“This announcement will ensure the planning process will be brought into the digital age. Communities will be reconnected to a planning process that is supposed to serve them, with residents more engaged over what happens in their areas.

“While the current system excludes residents, who do not have the time to contribute to the lengthy and complex planning process, local democracy and accountability will now be enhanced by technology and transparency.”

Councils will test how existing local plans translate into the new system, including moving away from long text documents to an interactive map with accompanying annotation document, and the adaptation of existing site allocation policies into the proposed land categorisation format.

This will enable planners to understand the impact of proposed land designations and associated policy implications on land allocations and inform a wide range of policies across the reform programme.

Community engagement will continue to play a key role for ensuring that the right levels of growth are identified to meet the needs of the community. In the new system digital tools will be key for making planning proposals more accessible and interactive, supporting the ambition for more effective community engagement.

The 10 bids from local councils to be selected are:

1. Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council
2. Stratford upon Avon District Council and Warwick District Council
3. Plymouth City Council, South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council
4. Dacorum Borough Council
5. Broxbourne Borough Council
6. Birmingham City Council
7. East Suffolk Council
8. London Borough Hounslow
9. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
10. Ashford Borough Council

Bringing planning into the digital age will also provide a range of exciting opportunities for PropTech companies to innovate and bring forward new ideas.

This project will build on the work of the United Kingdom government that has helped millions of people continue to provide for their families as part of its Plan for Jobs to protect, support and create employment.

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