Two UK councils have taken a major leap forward in identifying suitable development sites with the help of advanced digital mapping tools. Nottingham City Council and Sevenoaks District Council have successfully trialled LANDCLAN to accelerate the identification and evaluation process for local plans, ditching traditional methods that were time-consuming and labour-intensive.
Nottingham faced a daunting task – analysing over 7,000 land parcels within its urban boundaries. LANDCLAN proved instrumental in narrowing down the list to just 384 sites suitable for new housing development, particularly on council-owned land. The tool applied policy constraints and integrated various GIS datasets to automate the filtering process.
Sevenoaks, with a predominantly Green Belt area (93%) and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (60%), also tested LANDCLAN, initially focusing on 'grey belt' sites before pivoting to brownfield land identification. Although their pilot highlighted existing data limitations, this invaluable insight will inform future site identification work.
The trial also explored the benefits of 3D geospatial data and street-level imagery, allowing officers to remotely assess site context and constraints, reducing the need for early physical visits. Cyclomedia StreetSmart provided high-quality images, while Esri ArcGIS Urban modelled development scenarios and conducted capacity assessments on shortlisted sites.
The integration of these digital tools holds significant implications for the UK planning system. Businesses may benefit from quicker site identification, faster project timelines, and reduced pre-planning costs. Consumers could also gain from more efficient development, leading to improved infrastructure and community facilities.