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Digital Planning

Funding boost to support digital planning innovation

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Workshop image

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.

Open Digital Planning: a cross-sector partnership to transform local planning services

ODP community

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.

Setting the foundations for faster plan-making 

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Aerial view of green space with businesses and housing

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.

Breaking down barriers: working together to support local authorities

Mike Rose at the LLC Workshop in Birmingham

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.

Digital Planning: scaling the Planning Data service 

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Planning Data team in a workshop

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 Planning Directory launches: a milestone moment for the UK’s planning sector  

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Dr-Wei-Yang-OBE-CEO-Digital-Task-Forcce-for-Planning

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.

Digital Planning Programme: our year in review 

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Nottingham City Council's 3D map of Nottingham city centre which is delivering tangible planning benefits to the council.

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.

Digital Planning: developing planning applications specifications in the open 

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An illustrative image showing digital tools

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.

Digital Planning: applying digital principles and innovation to transform England’s planning system 

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a building site

The Digital Planning programme in MHCLG is transforming the future of planning. Find out how standardised data, innovation, collaboration and enhanced use of digital tools are reshaping England's planning system to make it more efficient and inclusive.

Data Hackathon: exploring how open data can help transform the planning system

The hackathon team standing in a room looking at ideas on a white board

Find out how a recent hackathon was used to start to build an app, based on open planning datasets, which could be used to help identify brownfield land for development.