Ten councils across the country will receive a share of £1.1m in pathfinder funding to trial digital technology that could support the development and consultation of their local plans.
It is encouraging to see the government putting its weight behind this. This isn’t a vast amount of money, but it is a key first step, demonstrating the recent white paper on planning reform isn’t going to be a document that sits forgotten on a shelf.
Although further investment and capital in the proptech industry is always welcome and would allow companies to expand and showcase even better uses, this funding provides an entry point. The government and councils will learn more about the platforms, products and solutions available and discover tech that is scalable and adaptable nationwide. The same systems could be used to evaluate the best location for new offices in Manchester or the position of a local green space in London – different needs for different cities, made possible with the adoption of digital tools and standardised data.
Get the people involved
There is no doubt the pandemic has accelerated this process. Although we’re yet to understand the long-term effects of the lockdown, virtual committees and digital consultations have been demonstrable in their wider engagement in planning. Virtualisation has certainly enabled a broader range of citizens and stakeholders to get involved – the viral clip of Handforth Parish Council’s Jackie Weaver showed the reach that only digital can achieve. Although unfortunately not the best example of an efficient committee, its rapid spread online was indicative of the speed of digital to reach the public.
Indeed, MHCLG has said it needs to commission research into the extent of public involvement in the planning system. It is clear there are certain groups, with less spare time, from minority backgrounds or just a younger demographic, that are not engaged in the decision-making process. Bringing new sections of society along the planning journey and making sure they can have a say in shaping their communities will help the government enact its ‘levelling-up’ agenda.
Digital planning tools allow more people to get involved in decision-making. Recent reports suggest currently fewer than 3% of the electorate engages in planning consultations, despite development affecting our daily lives. It’s clear that planning needs to be simplified and made more accessible – standardisation of data and the adoption of digital platforms and services can accomplish this.
The question is what this means in a practical sense – are we talking about the death of town hall meetings and pinned-up notices inviting residents to consult on their local plan? The answer is yes. Why should we use archaic solutions that are no longer fit for purpose? The reality is that proptech is the replacement for outmoded, undemocratic, traditional methods of consultation. The planning system can be vastly improved, and virtualisation can deliver the local plan, quite literally, into the hands of local people.
Positive voices
However, when it comes to digital, we are not talking about uploading a pdf of an impact report onto a consultation portal. The planning tech we need is far more sophisticated and useable. For example, take the use of 3D visualisation platforms. These platforms interactively present developments in situ and can be used to display a huge range of planning data in a visually simple and digestible way, meaning residents have a better understanding of how a new local plan may impact them, whether it’s a change in view from their kitchen or a new road for their kids to walk to school safely.
Many may be concerned at the thought of thousands of people becoming involved in an overwrought planning system. But it’s already being proven that with a greater range of residents involved, more positive voices are heard, and people start to balance the pros and cons in a more rounded way, forming their own opinions based on their individual desires.
The next step is ensuring a standardisation of data. If planning submissions were all to the same digital standard, so much value would be immediately unlocked. Each local council is currently testing its own tech. Preferred solutions will emerge which will no doubt help in their local areas, but if this work is to be useful nationwide, the planning system itself needs to be truly digital and standardised.
The pathfinder insight will hopefully feed into the updated planning reforms when they come before parliament later this year – and it’s heartening to see that digital tools will be central to this.
Jason Hawthorne is a co-founder of VU.CITY
