Case studies

Coventry City Council wanted to improve the service it provides to the public by making planning data higher quality and easier to access. The council also wanted to improve data management practices across all of its datasets and begin exploring new tools, including AI, and their potential applications within the department.

The Digital Planning Improvement Fund (DPIF) provided the framework and, crucially, the dedicated timeline needed to consolidate existing datasets and pursue long-planned improvements to data quality and accessibility.

Bristol City Council used the Digital Planning Improvement Fund (DPIF) to strengthen its planning data foundations, improve collaboration across teams, and begin tackling long-standing challenges with legacy systems. Alongside publishing key planning datasets, the council has invested in staff capability and explored new digital tools to support future planning services.

Plymouth City Council used the Digital Planning Improvement Fund (DPIF) to strengthen how planning data is managed, shared and understood across the organisation. Alongside publishing key planning datasets, the project helped improve data quality, clarify ownership and build confidence in using data to support planning services.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council is transforming how residents and businesses interact with its planning service.  

In 2024, Calderdale completed the HMLR Local Land Charges Project, cleansing over 88,000 land charges. The experience helped the team recognise the need to address their planning data.  

In January 2025, the West Yorkshire authority applied to the Digital Planning Improvement Fund and joined Open Digital Planning (ODP) to improve and publish their planning data and create a more user-friendly planning service for its 211,000 residents. 

Tewkesbury Borough Council has transformed how residents and other applicants access planning services by launching four complementary PlanX services, creating a digital-first approach that addresses the complexity of planning and allows officers to spend more time on higher-impact work.