UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) 
We’re transforming planning processes, for submitting and approving planning applications, in collaboration with local planning authorities (LPAs) and technology partners. We support LPAs to build data-driven open-source digital products and to work with established market players to develop the services they use.
These services will speed up decision-making for planning officers and applicants.
The planning system in England has been partially digitised. Paper documents exist online but in many cases the data is still held in PDFs. Digital planning services have not kept pace with improvements in consumer technology. Our work aims to improve the user-experience for people applying for planning permission, and to reduce errors, time and costs for local planning officers.
We’ve been working with LPA planners to translate complicated planning legislation into machine-readable rules.
These rules can then be incorporated into modern software and services which are able to reuse data, putting the needs of users at their heart to ‘design out’ common mistakes.
Collecting data from different sources and making it available consistently in national datasets via planning.data.gov.uk makes it possible to create modern planning software which can be used not only by the LPAs we currently work with, but others looking to adopt new (or improve their current) services.
We aim to:
- Speed up decision-making for both applicants and planning officers
- Improve the experience for people applying for planning permission
- Reduce administrative work for local authorities
- Provide LPAs with more choice on planning software with different systems that can connect to each other more easily with a seamless flow of data, enabled by common data standards.
- Encourage and enable LPAs to develop new digital skills through funded project work.
- Ensuring that all funded project work can be reused by and benefit other organisations, both in the private and public sector.
How we’re improving planning services
We’re working with Open Digital Planning (ODP), a community of over 100 forward-thinking LPAs, and includes digital agencies and government partners, united in shaping a more efficient, data-driven planning system.
Through ODP, we’re co-designing and testing new digital services:
- PlanX: A public interface that enables homeowners, businesses and planning agents access to intuitive to use services to get guidance about their projects and submit planning applications, notices and reports.
- Back office planning system (BOPS): An application for handling and managing documents that makes it easier for planners to process and manage applications.
- Digital Planning Register: An engagement tool that keeps residents informed and encourages public involvement with planning applications.
These services are using data more effectively. The development and roll out of new services are already seeing some LPAs process planning applications 20% faster, with fewer inaccuracies, while improving the experience for applicants and planning teams alike.
Open Digital Planning
ODP is driving the shift to innovative, data-driven solutions that improve outcomes for everyone involved.
As well as developing new software products, LPAs are also gaining access to valuable resources, peer support and expert digital guidance to enhance their digital capabilities.
Members may also be able to access funding to improve their data capabilities and make digital planning improvements.
The community is supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
How to get involved
We’re growing the ODP community. We want to give more LPAs the opportunity to begin digital planning improvements.
By leveraging shared expertise, open-source tools, and continuous improvement, ODP is creating a more efficient, accessible, and transparent planning system to better serve communities.