Streamlined, smarter, strategic: a planning system fit for the UK’s growth agenda

The average consenting time for major infrastructure projects has almost doubled from 2.6 years to 4.2 years in the last decade, often delaying the construction of critical infrastructure and the creation of jobs and economic boosts that kick in only once a shovel hits the ground.

Industry has rightly welcomed Labour’s promise to place planning reform at the very heart of its national mission to grow the economy so that every part of the country is better off. The revised National Planning Policy Framework, a task force to accelerate stalled housing sites, and a drive to recruit 300 more planning offices are all welcome proof points of intent.

It’s a long overdue plan of action: put simply, disjointed planning and a slow pace of decision making are hindering growth and impacting the economy at all levels. Delays result in organisations slowing down and sometimes halting investment in the people, training and technology needed to get projects off the ground and get Britain building.

Uncertainty breeds uncertainty: a lack of clarity and a costly cycle of indecision risk making the UK less attractive as it competes on a global stage for the attention of private sector investors. Last month’s decision to kick Lower Thames Crossing’s development consent order down the road until May 2025 – some eight years (and £300m) after the route was first announced – reinforces the need for change.

To shift the dial on the build rate of new homes, clean energy, sustainable infrastructure and new transport links, we need a holistic approach to planning reform that focuses not just on speed of consenting but also on building a better system: more streamlined, more strategic and, through a far greater emphasis on digitalisation, a smarter one, too.

Bytes to lay bricks

Undoubtedly, the government needs to be far more explicit about the role of data and technology in this mission as it tries to drag an “antiquated system” into the 21st century.

Today’s infrastructure programmes are outcome-driven: improving connectivity, creating thriving communities, and creating high-quality and affordable housing for all. Delivering on those outcomes relies on long-term strategies – and the long-term, effective spatial plans that define a vision for a region, or sector, and identify solutions to its broader needs, built on data and insight.

While there is merit in bolstering local planning teams, over 3,000 planners left the public sector between 2010 and 20201: will an extra 300 by 2026 make a tangible difference? Instead, we should place greater emphasis on how AI and data sharing can transform planning departments, not only to speed things up but to allow for more informed, strategic decision making at local, regional and national levels.

The UK already has real examples with tangible results that should prompt more interest and investment in digital solutions. Take the Greater London Authority’s Planning Data Hub: an interactive, open data platform which brings together detailed information on planning applications, permissions, commencements and completions in Greater London. Only possible because planning authorities in London are working together, it’s a holistic hub that promises to show how London is changing at city level, as well as offering a borough-by-borough view of developments.

And it’s not just local authority-level plans or major infrastructure projects that can benefit.

The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) is essentially a digital map of underground pipes and cables in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – and it’s a major success story for the UK that’s already creating incredible efficiency gains.

NUAR brings together spatial data and essential information together into one single platform, removing the need to painstakingly gather vital information from multiple sources. Now planners and excavators can access in six seconds what had traditionally taken up to six days, speeding up a process while reducing the risk of accidental utility strikes, and helping planners avoid areas with dense underground networks.

A case for change

There’s an opportunity to remove inefficiencies, remove friction and streamline processes at every stage of the planning process. If we combine data and insight to create and inform system-level views, we can identify the best – and worst – places to build, instil a joined-up approach to spatial planning, and fast-track consenting processes without compromising on safety or environmental protections.

Data, technology and collaboration must underpin our plans, strategies and ambition to unlock growth through infrastructure investment. Planning can be the solution to cementing growth, creating places and infrastructure that meet the needs of communities, the environment and the economy. This is an opportunity to create a system that’s fit for the future: we must focus on reform that delivers a better system as well as a faster one.