Common Tools: building a performance dashboard that meets user needs  

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A generic mockup of a dashboard without any detail or numbers, with the heading 'Departmental Performance Report'

Performance dashboards are a key tool to support leaders when assessing departmental performance. Read about the work the Common Tools as a Service team in MHCLG has been doing to make performance reports more fit for purpose, including the research they've done with their users, and the benefits of their approach.

Unlocking innovation in planning: Reflections on the PropTech Innovation Challenge 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Planning, PropTech, Technology
Two surveyors in high visibility jackets, overseeing a housing construction site

The PropTech Innovation Challenge has revealed the potential for technology to revolutionise planning and housing delivery. Attracting 84 applications, with 225 partners, it demonstrates industry-wide commitment to finding innovative solutions which can help us meet our ambitious target of 1.5 million new homes.

Creating a reusable Svelte component library to help developers build data-rich digital products faster 

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Design, Technology
A title card with text: MHCLG Svelte component library

Developers across government often face the challenge of building hundreds of data-rich web pages that are both accessible and easy to understand. Without a standardised solution, this can lead to duplicated effort and inconsistent results. A team in MHCLG is tackling this by developing a flexible toolkit that combines GOV.UK design standards with powerful data visualisation tools, helping teams build engaging digital products faster and more consistently.

Extract: Using AI to unlock historic planning data 

Posted by: , and , Posted on: - Categories: Artificial Intelligence, Data, Digital Planning
Extract identifying Ground Control Points to georeference an old map

This week, the Prime Minister officially launched Extract, the AI tool which the Digital Planning programme in MHCLG and the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence are developing to transform decades of planning information trapped in paper maps and PDFs into usable digital data.
This technology will significantly reduce the time required to digitise documents from hours to minutes, freeing planning officers up to focus on applications rather than data management.

Putting innovation at the heart of unlocking small sites

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Digital Planning, PropTech
A title card that says 'PropTech innovation challenge: opportunities to accelerate housing delivery. Apply now.'

The Deputy Prime Minister has unveiled a package of measures to empower SME housebuilders to build out smaller sites faster. The Digital Planning programme’s £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Challenge is one of the initiatives included – designed to accelerate housing delivery across England by inviting tech innovators to partner with local authorities and developers to create cutting-edge solutions for small site development.

Unlocking planning innovation: 150 brilliant minds collaborate in Leeds 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Planning, Ways of working
Teams collaborating at the hackathon

Innovation was sparked at the Local Government Innovation Hackathon, where 150 planners, technologists and digital leaders collaborated to solve real planning challenges. MHCLG proudly co-organised the event with Government Digital Service, Incubator for AI and Open Digital Planning, reimagining planning services through this hands-on approach.

Advancing digital planning: Open Digital Planning’s first end-to-end product pilots

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Digital Planning

The first-ever end-to-end digital planning product pilots have been launched across four local planning authorities. The pilots integrate the new products into a unified system to streamline the planning process. Early results are promising and demonstrate how digital innovation is creating a more efficient, transparent planning system for both local authorities and applicants.

Funding Service: behind the scenes as a grant relationship manager 

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two people working on a laptop together

From launching their second grant 2 years ago to 5 grants in a single week, the MHCLG Funding Service has come a long way. Hear from grant relationship manager Craig Bevington on how the team supports cost-effective, consistent and user-focused grant delivery.