Planning and Development
The processing of planning applications, enforcement of building regulations, and creation of spatial plans.
Planning and Development represents one of the most legally complex, highly scrutinised, and data-intensive functions of local government. Systems in this domain must handle massive volumes of unstructured data (architectural plans, public objections) whilst strictly enforcing spatial geometries and statutory deadlines.
For more on modernising this domain, see the Open Digital Planning initiative - a community of forward-thinking Local Planning Authorities working together to shape a more efficient, data-driven planning system, supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Planning and Development areas
Planning and Development functions might broadly be categorised into three areas:
Planning Policy
Creating spatial plans. Data-heavy, requiring geospatial modeling, multi-criteria decision analysis, and scalable public engagement platforms.
View detailDevelopment Management
Processing individual planning applications. High public visibility, ideally served by linked rules-engines, dynamic forms, and integration with public registers.
View detailBuilding Control
Enforcing structural safety. Technically intensive, ideally served by offline-tolerant mobile apps for field inspections and 3D BIM data ingestion.
View detail