A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to help local councils transform outdated planning data into accessible, digital records is currently in early testing, promising to significantly expedite the planning process. The technology aims to convert poor-quality scans, old paper documents, and PDFs into machine-readable, shareable data in just 40 seconds—a task that traditionally takes planners between one and two hours to complete.

The AI tool addresses a persistent challenge faced by many councils, which still rely on paper documents and scanned PDFs for planning applications. This reliance often leads to backlogs, inefficiencies, and resource wastage within the planning system. By automating the conversion of old planning documents—including blurry maps and handwritten notes—into clear, digital data, the tool offers a means to reduce delays and errors, enabling faster and more informed planning decisions.

Speaking to Mirage News, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle highlighted the transformative potential of the new system: “The UK’s planning system has been held back for too long by outdated paper documents, slow processes, making it nearly impossible for councils to make informed decisions quickly. As part of our Plan for Change, we’re using the power of AI to transform sluggish systems so we can start to rebuild. With Extract, councils will have access to better quality data so they can move more quickly on planning decisions and get on with driving growth. Technology like this could be a vital step towards councils meeting targets to help build the 1.5 million new homes the country needs, all while updating and improving the planning system for the future.”

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook echoed these sentiments, stressing the need for faster decision-making at the local level to support the government’s housing objectives. “To kickstart economic growth and achieve the government’s ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament, we need local planning authorities to be making informed decisions faster. By harnessing new technology like Extract, we can tackle backlogs, inefficiencies and waste and ensure councils are focusing precious time and resources on efficiently determining applications to build new homes.”

The new AI tool is designed to pull key information from thousands of files, facilitating a reduction in administrative burdens on planning officers. This efficiency gain is intended to free up council staff to concentrate on delivering new housing projects more swiftly, aligning with the government’s broader economic and infrastructure growth agenda.

While initial trials are underway, the government anticipates making the tool available to councils later this year. Beyond local planning, the technology has been recognised for its potential to enhance various public sector operations that rely on location-specific data to deliver services and inform policy decisions.

The development of this AI system forms part of the government’s overarching Plan for Change, aiming to strengthen public services and stimulate economic growth through technological innovation. It complements other recent reforms intended to boost housebuilding and infrastructure development, including updates to the National Planning Policy Framework and the ongoing Planning and Infrastructure Bill currently progressing through Parliament.

The Technology Secretary has indicated that successful adoption of such technology across the public sector could unlock up to £45 billion in productivity savings by improving service delivery and streamlining bureaucratic processes.

This initiative reflects a continued commitment to modernising the United Kingdom’s planning system and accelerating the delivery of much-needed housing, aggrandising the infrastructure needed to support economic growth and community development nationwide.

Source: Noah Wire Services