Project Overview
A UK district council processed 3,800 planning applications per year. The legacy portal (2006 Idox system, hea...
Technology Stack
Compliance & Standards
The Challenge
A UK district council processed 3,800 planning applications per year. The legacy portal (2006 Idox system, heavily customised) could not be updated without breaking customisations, had no mobile support, failed WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards, and cost £95,000/year in licence and support fees. A new digital planning portal was required under DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) digital planning reform requirements. Budget: £145,000.
Our Approach
GDS and DLUHC Standards
GDS 18-Point Service Standard compliance.
DLUHC Planning Data Standards
- Planning Application Data Standard (PADS) for structured data submission.
- GOV.UK Design System throughout.
- GOV.UK Pay for planning fees.
- GOV.UK Notify for application status notifications.
- WCAG 2.1 AA (mandatory PSBAR 2018).
Application type routing
- householder (most common), full planning, listed building consent, prior approval, lawful development certificate.
- Automated fee calculation (DLUHC fee schedule).
Statutory consultation management
- neighbour notifications (automated via GOV.UK Notify), statutory consultee notifications (Environment Agency, Highway Authority, Historic England).
- Decision notice generation.
OS Maps Integration
- Ordnance Survey Maps API for application site boundary drawing (polygon) and neighbouring property identification for consultation.
- OS Places API for address lookup.
- Application site map embedded in public-facing portal and officer system.
Public Register and Data Publishing
- Town and Country Planning Act requires public register of planning applications and decisions.
- Automated publication to council website.
- Open data API (DLUHC planning data format) for PropTech integration.
- Weekly data extract to Planning Portal (National Planning Case Worker system).
The Results
Launched at 18 weeks, £138,000 — under budget.
Legacy licence saving: £95,000/year (project ROI payback year 1).
GDS Beta assessment: passed first attempt.
WCAG 2.1 AA: certified.
Online application rate: 42% → 91% (paper applications almost eliminated).
Application processing time: 10.4 weeks average → 6.8 weeks.
DLUHC planning data standard: 100% compliant from launch.
“The GDS Beta pass on the first attempt and the DLUHC data standard compliance from day one — both things we were told to expect to fail at least once. The £95,000 annual licence saving means the project effectively paid for itself in year one." — Head of Planning, UK District Council (name withheld)”
Project Details
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