Digital Planning Policy and Legislation

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act came into force on 26 October 2023. It provides powers that will facilitate changes and improvements to the planning system.  

The Act includes a number of measures which will allow a transformation in the development and use of high-quality data and modern, digital services across the planning process, including powers to set planning data standards and software requirements.  

The five planning data powers relate to: 

• Section 84: Power in relation to the processing of planning data. 
• Section 85: Power in relation to the provision of planning data. 
• Section 86: Power to require certain planning data to be made publicly available. 
• Section 87: Power to require use of approved planning data software in England.  
• Section 88: Disclosure of planning data does not infringe copyright in certain cases. 

Our powers will improve the current planning system by:

• Setting consistent planning data standards on how planning authorities will be required to receive and process planning data. 
• Requiring planning data to be published openly, which will allow anyone to reuse planning data free of charge.  
• Ensuring planning authorities use approved planning software that supports a modern and data driven planning system. 

What does this mean for local planning authorities and communities?

These powers are intended to support a modern digital planning system to: 

• Enable high-quality, open data that underpins the planning system to be easily accessible, which will drive more informed decision-making by local planning authorities to deliver the developments communities want in their local areas. 
• Deliver a more efficient and user-friendly planning system, with local planning authorities making best use of modern, digital tools and services. 
• Enable more people to engage with the planning system to better understand the trade-offs and benefits involved with proposed developments in their local areas. 

You can read more about our planning data powers (Section 84-88) in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.