English councils to trial Google AI tool for planning decisions

In short: Councils in England will start testing a Google-built AI tool that recommends whether building projects should be approved or refused.

What happened

Several English councils will begin a trial of an AI system called the Augmented Planning Decision Tool, according to people familiar with the project. The test is expected to start in the next few weeks.

The tool will review planning applications and produce a recommendation, either approve or refuse, before a council officer signs off the decision. In more complex cases, the AI is expected to offer a structured guide for officials rather than a single clear answer.

The UK government wants planning decisions to happen faster. Ministers hope to cut the time councils take to decide on applications by half, as part of a wider push to build 1.5 million homes during this parliament.

Google received an £8.3 million contract in February to build the system. The tool is also meant to write reports and use digitised planning information, such as property boundaries and conservation areas, to support its recommendations.

The project also comes as some councils report a rise in AI-written planning objections from the public, which can add to staff workload.

Why it matters

Planning decisions affect how quickly new homes, offices, and other developments get built. If the trial works, councils may be able to process applications more quickly, like having an assistant that reads a big stack of documents and summarises the key points.

But experts have warned that speed should not come at the cost of quality or trust. The Royal Town Planning Institute said human judgment should not be replaced, and a planning consultant said people may be less confident if they think decisions were made by a machine, even if a human signs them off.

Source: Financial Times