PM Unveils Groundbreaking AI Tool to Streamline Planning Processes Across England

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This week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Extract, a powerful new AI tool set to transform the UK planning system.

Extract can digitise decades-old, handwritten planning records and maps in just minutes – a task that currently takes planning officers up to two hours per document.

Trials in Hillingdon, Exeter, and Nuneaton suggest the tool could save up to 250,000 officer hours annually. It's a game-changer for unlocking capacity, speeding up decisions, and delivering on housing targets.

Rollout is planned to all English councils by Spring 2026.

This follows the launch of Minute, another AI tool helping councils automate meeting notes – freeing officers to focus on getting homes built.

As planning professionals, embracing smart tech like this could help us meet national ambitions while easing daily workloads.

What do you think – is AI the future of planning?

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