Using digital tools to support site identification and assessment
How digital tools, workflows and automation support site identification and assessment, with case studies from local planning authorities.
This guidance brings together learning from local planning authorities that tested digital approaches to site identification and assessment through the PropTech Innovation Fund. It shows how digital tools, including mapping platforms, site assessment tools and digital submission systems, can support the sites process.
Digital tools use planning data to make site identification and assessment more efficient, transparent and consistent. They do not replace professional planning judgement.
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Identifying potential sites (with case studies)
Use digital mapping, data analysis and site submission tools to identify potential sites. You can review land, run a call for sites and combine information from different sources.
Identifying potential sites across your area
Digital mapping and analysis tools can help you review land parcels across the authority using planning policy, environmental and local datasets. You can apply constraints and assessment criteria across large areas and identify locations that may have development potential.
Officers still review and refine the outputs, as some constraints may not be fully captured in available datasets.
Read how councils have used digital mapping and analysis tools to identify housing opportunities across their area:
Running a digital call for sites
Digital site submission tools let users draw site boundaries on an interactive map, upload spatial files and submit information through structured online forms. This reduces the need for manual digitising and ensures submissions follow a consistent format.
Structured submissions also makes it easier to filter, categorise and review sites during assessment.
Read how councils used digital site submission tools to reduce manual work and speed up site assessment:
Managing and sharing site information
Bringing site information together into a shared digital system, such as a site assessment platform or structured workflow, can help you manage site data more effectively. Structured data makes it easier to update, analyse and reuse information across planning activities.
Councils that use a single platform report better access to site data and less reliance on specialist GIS (geographic information system) staff for routine tasks.
Read this case study about managing and sharing site information using digital tools:
Publishing site information
Use digital mapping and community engagement tools to publish potential sites earlier in the process.
Publishing mapped site information on a consultation platform can support transparency and increase engagement. If you publish sites at this stage, make it clear that you have not assessed them and have not made decisions about allocation.
Read how councils used digital mapping and engagement tools to publish site information earlier and improve transparency:
Assessing potential sites (with case studies)
Use digital mapping, assessment platforms and modelling tools to assess sites. You can filter options, apply criteria and record decisions.
Early filtering and sifting using digital constraints mapping
Digital constraints mapping helps you carry out an initial sift of potential sites by applying planning policy and environmental datasets across large numbers of sites. Its effectiveness depends on the quality and coverage of these datasets. This can help filter out unsuitable sites earlier and identify which sites to take forward for further assessment. Officers then review and validate the outputs before progressing.
Read this case study about using digital constraints mapping to filter and assess sites:
Applying consistent criteria
Use structured digital assessment platforms to replace spreadsheet-based workflows and apply the same criteria across sites.
Recording assessment information in a consistent format helps reduce duplication between teams and makes it easier to reassess sites when new evidence becomes available.
Read this case study about using digital assessment tools to apply consistent criteria across sites:
Estimating development potential
Use modelling and site design tools to estimate development capacity or model development scenarios for shortlisted sites. These tools help planning teams explore site potential and compare options using consistent assumptions.
Professional judgement is still essential when interpreting results.
Read this case study about using digital modelling tools to explore site capacity and compare development scenarios:
Considering infrastructure, viability and delivery
Use site assessment and modelling tools to bring together infrastructure, viability and delivery information. Digital analysis can show how access to services varies across an area and support appraisal of council-owned sites using consistent financial assumptions.
Bringing this information together can help planning teams understand delivery considerations earlier.
Read how councils used digital assessment and modelling tools to bring together infrastructure, viability and delivery information:
Reusing and updating assessment data
Store site assessments in a structured and consistent digital format so you can update information once and reuse it across plan-making.
In some councils, site data is spread across spreadsheets, GIS and documents. This can lead to the same information being copied or reformatted.
Using a shared digital system can reduce this. You can update data in one place and reuse it for assessment, consultation and reporting.
This approach depends on storing data in a structured and consistent format.
Read how councils used shared digital systems to update and reuse site assessment information throughout plan-making:
Implementing digital tools
Digital tools can support different parts of the sites process, from identifying potential sites to carrying out structured assessments. You may need to adapt existing processes and roles to use them effectively.
Before selecting or configuring a tool, consider:
- which stage of the sites process the tool will support
- how it fits with your current approach to identifying and assessing sites
- whether processes need to change to support it
- how you will use outputs in reporting and examination
- the data you already hold and what may need improvement
- how you will build officer review into the process
- how you will manage data governance, access and licensing
Spending time configuring tools, aligning assessment criteria and testing outputs can help you understand how they work in practice and identify issues early.
Costs and benefits
The cost and time to use digital tools will depend on your local context, the tools you choose and the data you already hold.
Costs may include:
- procuring and configuring tools
- improving or integrating data
- staff training and changes to processes
- ongoing maintenance, licensing and support
Digital tools can provide several benefits, including:
- reducing the time you spend plotting and processing sites
- speeding up desk-based assessment
- improving consistency across assessments
- creating clearer audit trails
- identifying a wider range of potential sites
- making site information easier to update and reuse
Several councils reported reductions of more than 50% in time spent on early assessment tasks. Some reported larger reductions for specific activities such as digitising site boundaries or preparing site summaries.
Use the Digital Planning Directory to find tools and suppliers, compare products and access procurement guidance.
Risks to consider
Digital tools can improve efficiency and consistency, but they also have limits.
Data quality
Incomplete or inconsistent datasets can affect outputs and limit how effectively digital tools can support site identification and assessment. Understanding data gaps and assumptions is important when interpreting results. Standard datasets may not fully reflect some constraints.
Over-reliance on automated outputs
Automated filtering or scoring can produce unexpected results if you do not carefully test and configure the criteria. Officer review remains essential, particularly where sites may be suitable with mitigation.
AI and modelling accuracy
Where you use artificial intelligence (AI) or modelling tools, outputs depend on training data and assumptions. Accuracy can vary by site type. You should validate results before they are used to inform decisions.
The Planning Inspectorate has shared guidance on using AI when handling evidence and casework. Guidance and examples of how councils are exploring AI in local government are available through the Local Government Association AI Hub.
Governance and transparency
Consolidating site information into new systems requires clear documentation and governance to maintain transparency and accountability.
Across all approaches, digital tools support decision making. Professional judgement remains central.
What councils learned
Councils that tested digital tools for site identification and assessment found that successful use depended on clear processes, good data and time spent configuring tools. They found that:
- the greatest time savings often came from improving early tasks, such as digital site submission or initial filtering
- structured workflows reduced duplication and made it easier to reassess sites when evidence changed
- the quality and availability of data influenced how effectively councils could introduce tools and the reliability of their outputs
- clear assessment criteria and careful configuration helped avoid unexpected results
- storing site information in a structured format made it easier to produce site summaries and evidence tables later
Explore the Open Digital Planning community to learn from local planning authorities using digital tools.
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