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18 June 2026
New AI tools designed to speed up the planning process are being trialled at three English local authorities
Barnet, Camden and Dorset councils have received an AI prototype, aiming to halve decision times on householder planning applications from eight to four weeks.
Elsewhere, councils across England now have access to another tool to convert old documents into useable data quickly.
Created in collaboration with Google Cloud, which won the £6.9 million contract in March, the tool is intended to process ‘straightforward’ cases, such as those for household projects, which account for nearly 70 per cent of all applications, according to the government.
This would allow planning officers to ‘focus on more complex applications’, and is not intended to eliminate the human element in the system. Every assessment will be ‘reviewed and approved by a qualified planning officer before any decision is made’.
RIBA president Chris Williamson welcomed the news, citing research which showed that 80 per cent of practices were experiencing ‘significant delays’ due to planning backlogs.
The AJ reported earlier this week that planning applications for housing schemes were taking three times longer to determine now than in 2010, seriously affecting the viability of residential projects.
Williamson said: ‘This is an exciting opportunity for local planning authorities to benefit from the efficiencies AI can bring to digitise applications, while maintaining the critical human oversight of architects and planners within teams to ensure high-design quality.’
The initiative forms part of the government’s ongoing efforts to speed up planning and deliver 1.5 million homes by the end of the current parliament. If the technology is successful, it will be rolled out nationwide next year.
The second tool, known as Extract, is now available to all councils in England. Extract uses AI to convert ‘decades-old’ documents and maps, including handwritten notes, into more useable data, ‘within minutes’.
The government estimates that Extract will slash around 250,000 work hours a year for planning officers who currently manually check these types of documents. The tool has already been trialled in 20 local authorities in England, including Exeter and Hillingdon.
The Minister for Data and Modern Digital Government, Ian Murray, said: ‘When someone wants to add a bedroom or convert their loft, they shouldn’t be waiting months for a straightforward decision. And planning officers shouldn’t be spending hours digging through decades of paper records when making the decisions that really matter.
‘This isn’t about replacing the expertise and judgement of planning professionals; it’s about taking admin off their desks so they can focus on the skilled work their communities need most.’
John Pardey, founder and director of John Pardey Architects, who has completed several projects within Dorset Council’s boundaries over recent years, told the AJ he supported any attempt to improve the ailing system.
He said: ‘We have had two projects recently that have languished for over three years in planning. How can that be acceptable?’
He continued: ‘AI cannot be worse than the current system – bring it on.’
While many hope that AI will usher in a streamlined process and make a big dent in delays, the technology is also being used by people opposed to planning applications.
As reported by the AJ in February, planning objection toolkits now offer residents the ability to submit professional-quality, AI-generated letters of objection almost speedily.
The government’s new tools are just one of the measures it is taking to battle backlogs. Last month structural changes to planning committees were announced, giving officers more power to get more applications through the system without the need for committee approval.
Hannah Arkell, Studio Arkell, based in Dorset
While AI has the potential to help local authorities manage increasing planning workloads and reduce administrative delays, it should be used as a support tool rather than a substitute for professional planning judgement. Used appropriately, AI could help improve consistency and efficiency in reviewing documentation and identifying policy considerations.
However, planning decisions often require nuanced assessment of context, design quality, heritage, landscape impact and local character, areas where human expertise remains essential. The key risk is that an over-reliance on AI could lead to overly rigid interpretations of policy or a lack of transparency in decision-making, so any deployment should be carefully monitored and remain subject to human oversight.
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