Venture capital firm Fuel Ventures has co-led a £300,000 investment in PlanningHub, an AI-driven platform designed to help the UK’s housing crisis.
The platform is designed to improve access to planning data for property development by simplifying the planning process.
PlanningHub’s platform will apply AI to automate aspects of the planning application process, aiming to reduce errors and reduce time spent navigating regulations.
Its technology is designed to assist both public and private sector stakeholders.
“This funding will allow us to enhance access to planning information, making the process more efficient while supporting public and private sector decision-making”, said founder Ewa Moskwiak.
It comes as AI’s role in urban planning gains traction, with key players arguing that automation could help alleviate efficiencies in the sector.
The UK’s planning system has faced criticism for being slow and bureaucratic, contributing to delays in housing developments amid a housing crisis.
The company claims its technology could save the UK economy up to £1.2bn annually by making planning data more accessible and minimising costly delays.
Fuel Ventures founder Mark Pearson highlighted the company’s potential to improve the planning system.
“PlanningHub offers automation tools that can streamline processes and reduce inefficiencies”, Pearson said.
“Their approach to addressing planning delays and development challenges could bring significant benefits to local authorities and developers”.
Yet, challenges remain.
A recent ministry of housing, communities and local government study highlighted the potential for AI-generated inaccuracies, raising concerns about reliability.
The study found the accuracy of AI responses ranged from 43 per cent, to 76 per cent.
Regulatory bodies, including the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), have called for transparency in AI use, requiring planners to disclose AI-generated information and verify outputs with human oversight.
A Savills blogpost wrote: “This kind of transparency is crucial to maintaining trust in the planning process and ensuring that AI is used responsibly”.