The Government is set to roll out a new AI planning tool to councils across England this Spring after successful pilot trials showed it can turn stacks of planning paperwork into digital data in minutes rather than hours.
The system, called Extract, uses advanced artificial intelligence to scan and convert planning documents, including text, site maps and handwritten notes, into machine‑readable, shareable data that councils can work with far more quickly than with traditional manual processing.
This move comes as ministers try to tackle long delays in the planning permission process, which have been cited as one of the biggest barriers to delivering the Government’s goal of building 1.5 million new homes.
The technology is part of the Government’s broader push to modernise the planning system and speed up decisions that have traditionally been slow and resource‑intensive.
How the AI tool works in simple terms
Extract uses artificial intelligence – specifically large language models – to read and interpret planning documents that would normally take planning officers hours to process.
That includes combining multiple files, extracting key information, and turning paper‑based content into digital formats that can be analysed and shared.
In pilot trials, councils such as Hillingdon, Nuneaton & Bedworth and Exeter used Extract to scan hundreds of planning files in around three minutes each, compared with the normal one to two hours it takes to manually enter and interpret the same information.
The Government says this means councils can spend less time on routine paperwork and more time on the actual planning decisions that matter to builders, renovators and communities.
Government says AI will reduce delays and bottlenecks
The AI rollout is billed as a key part of the Government’s efforts to modernise the planning system and reduce the bottlenecks that have been blamed for slowing housing delivery.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said when the tool was first unveiled: “For too long, our outdated planning system has held back our country – slowing down the development of vital infrastructure and making it harder to get the homes we need built. With Extract, we’re harnessing the power of AI to help planning officers cut red tape, speed up decisions, and unlock the new homes for hard‑working people as part of our Plan for Change.”
The tool uses Google DeepMind’s Gemini model to make sense of complex planning files, bringing decades of paper records into the digital age so planners can work faster and more efficiently.
What this means for housebuilders and renovators
The Government plans to make Extract available to all local councils in England by Spring 2026, with the aim of fully digitising planning records by the end of the year.
For housebuilders and renovators, the aim is clear; shorter administrative lead‑ins before decisions are made, freeing up councils to focus on making decisions on planning proposals. That could help reduce one part of the backlog that has contributed to delays in starting new homes.
By using AI to streamline the processing of planning files, ministers say the planning system will become more efficient and better able to support the Government’s housing delivery goals, including getting more homes approved and built sooner.
