The details
The tool checks that application documents and drawings are complete, tests plans against heritage constraints and local and national policies, looks for earlier objections such as those from residents, and drafts cited reports that officers can edit. Officers keep the final decision on every case. It was piloted in Barnet, Camden and Dorset from June. Google DeepMind says routine householder applications make up as much as 70% of officers’ workloads. It developed the tool with the UK government, Google Cloud and Faculty.
Why it matters
Faster routine approvals could free officers for complex cases, which matters for the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029. But the results so far come from Google DeepMind’s own account of small pilots. The beta on live applications will show whether the time savings hold up, and whether officers lean on drafted reports more than they should.