The government has rolled out a new artificial intelligence tool to speed up planning permissions, making it easier to make home improvements and help reach the 1.5m new homes target.

Extract is an AI assistant for planning officers and local councils, developed by the government with support from Google. 

The technology will help councils convert handwritten planning documents and maps into data and will power new types of planning software to cut the time spent by planning officers manually checking documents. 

While test trials are currently going on across Hillingdon, Nuneaten & Bedworth and Exeter councils, Extract is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring next year. 

The rollout will help deliver the government’s Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5m homes over the next Parliament and is part of the government’s efforts to harness tech and AI to deliver change and renewal for working people.

It also comes alongside the government’s efforts to digitise the planning system, building on an estimated £59.4m per year spent by councils on digital planning and housing software.

Deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner says: “From day one we made an unwavering promise to use every tool at our disposal to build the 1.5 million homes and vital infrastructure through our Plan for Change that our local communities desperately need.”  

“By using cutting-edge technology like Extract we can fix the broken planning system, cut delays, save money, and also reduce burdens on councils to help pave the way for the biggest building boom in a generation.”

Yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority announced the launch of a ‘Supercharged Sandbox’ in partnership with NVIDIA to help firms experiment safely with AI to support innovation.

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