Addressing resource challenges and accessibility through AI in planning

The new Labour Government has wasted no time in rewriting the planning rulebook to deliver its growth ambitions, notably seeking to achieve the target for 150,000 new homes a year. Whilst the proposed changes have been largely celebrated by the industry, there are questions around the ability of the sector to resource the changes. We look at the potential opportunities that artificial intelligence (AI) has created for the sector in helping to deliver the change alongside wider benefits and challenges that it may bring.

Responding to the resource challenge

Analysis by the RTPI has highlighted that between 2010 and 2020, more than 3,100 planners left the public sector. Within the most recent Written Ministerial Statement “Building the homes we need,” Angela Rayner MP reaffirmed Labour’s commitment to recruiting 300 new planners to help in the task of plugging the resource gap. Whilst a step to addressing those lost from the sector, it is clear that resource efficiency and a step change in the use of technology systems would be welcomed as part of the solution.

Planning documents often contain vast amounts of valuable information, but accessing and using this data can be challenging. AI offers planners a potentially promising solution by efficiently processing and interrogating large volumes of data to extract key information and insights.

Planning system and incorporating AI in planning

The planning system is one dominated by forms, text, and reports, the likes of which could be ready replicated through advances in AI. Research undertaken by the Alan Turing Institute estimated that over 250,000 person hours are spent in the process of validating planning applications. From personal experience, the speed of this process can often vary significantly with applicants waiting for weeks before their application is processed, only to learn weeks later that a missing document or incorrect drawing reference has caused the application to be invalidated and the time lost is passed back onto the applicant as the issue is resolved.

With the submission of planning applications now more standardised through the electronic submission of the Planning Portal, the expanding capabilities of AI technology should surely offer the opportunity to integrate a more automated validation checklist at the point of submission. Whilst improving the speed of response for applicants, importantly this would also allow resource to be better focused on determining planning applications, rather than identifying errors.

Perhaps more significant could be AI’s potential in providing an automated response and assessment to householder applications (both pre- and post-submission). In many cases, the assessment of the acceptability of these proposals relates to key dimensions relative to either adjacent buildings or the host building. With more than 46,600 householder applications submitted during Q1 of last year alone (53% of all planning applications), the scope for this process to benefit from an element of automation should not be underestimated.

Improving access

The planning system, and more specifically, planning applications are dominated by technical, evidenced-based reports. Whilst these are often necessary to provide the relevant technical justification to support developments, they can be alienating and may unintentionally foster an “us” and “them” type narrative which is not useful in gaining support for planning proposals. The ability to use AI to summarise text may assist in helping to search and summarise key documents, making the whole process more accessible and open to all.

As a further extension to this, AI technology is allowing text to be converted into multiple languages with ease. The planning system is there for all, and it is important that engagement in the process, notably public consultation, can be accessible by all. The most recent publication of the 2021 Census data confirms that for nine London Boroughs, more than one in four listed residents in these boroughs do not speak English as a first language.

AI tools can facilitate the translation of consultation materials and/or Local Plan documents more efficiently. This will help stakeholders understand the system better and promote greater equity in the dissemination of information and proposed development. Equally, AI tools can assist those who are short on time but still want to participate in the process.

The future of planning

Planning is a creative pursuit. What makes places beautiful and successful is not formulaic and the subjective interface with design, politics, and placemaking will mean that many areas will not, and should not, be the subject of AI. The scientific revolution in planning post-Second World War arguably explored this to a degree with some successes but, notably, many more failures.

However, there is a role for AI to open up access to the conversation, to engage more people, and work towards achieving more balance in those that respond. Through driving resource efficiencies by leveraging AI, there is also an opportunity for planning professionals to spend more time debating and engaging key matters to unlock projects and deliver solutions rather than absorbing time and efforts on more administrative functions, systems, and processes.