Digital Planning
As part of our work to modernise England's planning system we have been collaborating with over 40 organisations to draft new planning application data specifications which will help to revolutionise how planning data is structured and exchanged between local authorities and software providers. Whether you're a planning officer, developer, or technology provider, we’re now seeking wider input to review and refine our baseline specifications to help build a planning system that's truly fit for the 21st century.
Innovative pilots funded by the Digital Planning PropTech (property technology) Innovation Fund have given us key insights about building citizen trust, community cohesion and bridging generational divides. We were able to share these learnings at the recent 25th Belgo-British Conference, and come away with a few more.
The MHCLG Digital Planning programme is providing further grant funding to local planning authorities (LPAs), for specific digital, data and innovation work, to modernise their planning services. In this blog post, we set out the allocation of funding for a range of improvements and projects which will transform planning processes and deliver efficiencies.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) Digital Planning Programme coordinates Open Digital Planning (ODP) – a cross-sector partnership of forward-thinking local planning authorities (LPAs) working together to create a more efficient, data-driven planning system.
Over the last 4 years, we’ve worked closely with council officers to understand their technology and data challenges and have used these insights to drive meaningful change.
A new home for plan-making resources, called 'Create or update a local plan', has been published on GOV.UK, bringing together all the essential guidance and tools councils need to produce a local plan. Responding to feedback by providing clearer, consistent guidance, including new standards to create policy maps, our aim is to make the process faster and more efficient.
Through collaboration between HM Land Registry and Local Planning Authorities, the Digital Planning team is working on a joined-up approach to reduce the burden of providing the data needed for local land charges and planning purposes. Previously submitting similar data to different systems, our new way of working will make the process more efficient.
Go behind the scenes of MHCLG's planning data success as Emma Beer, delivery lead, and Steve Messer, product and design strategist, reveal the strategic approach that has powered the service's exceptional growth last year. They share insights into building a high-performing team and the transformative impact of data sharing across the planning sector.
Digital transformation has taken a major step forward with the launch of the Digital Planning Directory - a comprehensive platform bringing together state-of-the-art planning tools and services in one accessible location. The Directory, developed to address the pressing need for digital skills and resources in local planning authorities, will help both public and private sector professionals make informed decisions about digital planning solutions.
In this blog the Digital Planning team review the programme’s highlights from 2024. From increased data collection to developing new tools, collaboration to innovation, the team has worked alongside Local Planning Authorities, the planning community and other colleagues in government to make planning faster, data-driven, and more citizen-friendly.
The first collaborative sessions with the planning community to develop data specifications for planning applications have taken place. Find out about the ambition, the progress being made and how you can get involved.
