PARTNERSHIP · COMPANIES · #2918
Google DeepMind’s PlanAssist enters 12‑month Beta, onboarding 12 more English councils after pilot
PlanAssist, an AI tool built by Google DeepMind with Gemini (in collaboration with the UK government, Google Cloud and Faculty), cut planning officer assessment time for householder applications by up to 58% in early pilots across Barnet, Camden and Dorset. It is moving into a 12‑month Beta using live applications: 12 additional councils will be onboarded in three cohorts (bringing the total to 15), with a potential wider rollout to all English councils planned for 2027 pending successful testing.
KEY POINTS
- PlanAssist, an AI tool built by Google DeepMind with Gemini (in collaboration with the UK government, Google Cloud and Faculty), cut planning officer assessment time for householder applications by up to 58% in early pilots across Barnet, Camden and Dorset.
- It is moving into a 12‑month Beta using live applications: 12 additional councils will be onboarded in three cohorts (bringing the total to 15), with a potential wider rollout to all English councils planned for 2027 pending successful testing.
- If widely adopted, PlanAssist could materially reduce planning backlogs and speed routine approvals while retaining human oversight, affecting housing delivery and council workloads.
WHY IT MATTERS
If widely adopted, PlanAssist could materially reduce planning backlogs and speed routine approvals while retaining human oversight, affecting housing delivery and council workloads.