Wirral Borough Council has made a significant breakthrough in its development plans, halving the time it takes to assess potential building sites with the introduction of a cutting-edge digital tool. The innovative technology, known as PlaceMaker, has streamlined the assessment process by allowing planning officers to access and share site information across departments from a single source.
The pilot project, which formed part of the PropTech Innovation Fund round 4 in 2024, aimed to tackle the long-standing issue of fragmented data storage. Previously, site information was scattered across multiple systems, making it difficult for planners to conduct consistent and timely assessments. This often resulted in viability and delivery issues for housing projects. By bringing all this information together using PlaceMaker, planning officers were able to view, update, and share data with ease.
During the pilot phase, over 800 sites were assessed using the digital platform, freeing up valuable time for planners to focus on reviewing results and applying their expertise. The technology demonstrated its potential to enhance decision-making processes, although it was stressed that human judgment remains essential in evaluating site constraints, viability, and delivery issues.
The shift to a digital platform also addressed licensing barriers, providing wider internal access to crucial datasets via single sign-on. This improved accessibility is expected to bolster evidence gathering for plan-making and ensure consistency in assessments, benefiting future housing and regeneration projects across the borough.
Experts predict that this technological advancement will lead to faster development processes, potentially increasing housing supply and easing market pressures. Streamlined planning procedures can also reduce administrative burdens on developers, creating a more stable environment for investment in construction and regeneration projects.