Why Digital Planning Tech Must Step Up as UK Planning Recruitment Falls

Every £1 invested in digital planning delivers £2 in efficiency gains, research proves.

Local UK planning teams are under unprecedented pressure to do more with less. Public Practice’s latest findings point to a steep fall in planned recruitment across local authority placemaking teams, widening the capacity gap just as demand peaks.

At the same time, ministers have warned progress on housebuilding is “unacceptable,” with planning applications at their lowest in over a decade and a 1.5m homes target on the line.The RTPI echoes this workforce alarm, highlighting an “existential” challenge in training and retaining planners, especially if routes such as degree apprenticeships remain constrained.

Independent research commissioned by Nottingham City Council and carried out by ConsultingWhere provides compelling proof that digital investment pays off. Their analysis found a 2:1 benefit-to-cost ratio — meaning that for every £1 invested in 3D modelling and geospatial technology, councils can expect a £2 return in efficiency and savings over ten years. Beyond the numbers, the study highlighted how 3D visualisations helped design teams, developers, and committees reach consensus faster, cutting rework and accelerating decisions.

The takeaway: recruitment alone won’t bridge the gap fast enough. Councils need force-multipliers that deliver measurable value now. With public finances under scrutiny, prioritising the right digital tools isn’t a luxury — it’s a fiscal necessity that pays back twice over.

The problem in numbers

Recruitment is falling. Public Practice’s 2025 data shows a sharp drop in planned hiring across local authority placemaking teams compared with 2022. Pressure is rising as government surveys confirm persistent capacity and skills constraints, while ministers warn that progress on housebuilding remains "unacceptable". Despite targeted funding (such as £500k to Public Practice in June 2025), these measures remain insufficient to close a widening gap.

In other words: the system’s challenges are structural, not temporary. Without new tools, the planning workforce will remain overstretched.

Recruitment falling: Public Practice’s 2025 reporting cadence underlines a material drop in planned hiring intentions across local authority placemaking teams vs 2022. 

Pressure rising: Government surveys show persistent skills and capacity constraints in planning departments, informing the Planning Capacity & Capability Programme.

Housing urgency: The Housing Secretary has set out acceleration measures against slowing planning figures and delivery risk to the 1.5m homes pledge. The Times+1

Funding reality: Government has routed targeted support (e.g., £500k to Public Practice in June 2025) — welcome, but insufficient on its own to offset structural shortages. GOV.UK+1

Why technology is now a necessity (not a nice-to-have)

Multiply planner time.
Visualise schemes in city-wide 3D context, test massing and views instantly, and front-load constraints such as heritage, daylight, transport, flood, and biodiversity. This means case officers spend less time stitching evidence together and more time making judgment calls.

Bridge skills gaps with usable data.
Many barriers to public-sector productivity stem from inaccessible or inconsistent data. The Commons Public Accounts Committee notes that poor-quality data and limited digital skills are blocking AI and productivity gains in government. Smarter tools that surface trusted, ready-to-use information are critical.

Shorten pre-app cycles and reduce rework.
Shared visual evidence helps applicants and community stakeholders understand trade-offs earlier — cutting revisions and building trust.

Strengthen transparency and auditability.
When outcomes are grounded in clear geospatial evidence, decisions are easier to explain and defend. Councillors and residents can see the “why.”

Support training and onboarding.
New officers ramp faster with consistent, transparent workflows and a living, visual record of precedent and policy impacts.

“Innovation needs a fertile garden to grow in” says Christopher Wandel, Account Manager, Public Sector at VU.CITY. “If services are being shut down and leaving planning professionals under-resourced, it will likely contribute towards employee turnover, and that weakens innovation just when we need it most."

Bottom line: Digital platforms don’t replace planners; they amplify their impact, enabling small teams to deliver big outcomes.

What good looks like (a practical model for local authorities)

• Data foundation that’s already curated: Authorities shouldn’t be wrangling dozens of layers and formats. A single environment where national datasets, local policies, and constraints are pre-aligned reduces latency from weeks to minutes. (This aligns with LGA’s emphasis on targeted support/tools to address sector challenges.)
  
  
• City-scale 3D for rapid scenario testing: Move from static PDFs to interactive 3D: assess heights, massing, townscape/heritage views, overshadowing, and cumulative impact before designs ossify.
  
  
• Collaboration by default: A neutral, visual space where planners, applicants, transport, utilities, and design review panels can iterate asynchronously — fewer meetings, better outcomes.
  
  
• Explainability for leaders & residents: Plain-English overlays and visual narratives for committees and consultation reduce confusion and late-stage surprises.
  
  
• Measurable outcomes: Track cycle time, iterations per application, and consultation sentiment. If a tool doesn’t reduce delay or increase certainty, it isn’t doing its job.
  
  

Policy momentum is helpful — but tech unlocks capacity now

Government support, such as targeted grants and national capacity programmes, is necessary, but transformation requires operational change within teams. Embedding digital planning tools alongside process improvements can yield immediate wins while recruitment and training catch up. GOV.UK+1

The sector’s own research highlights the blockers: funding and digital skills. Where investment exists, authorities can choose platforms that are proven, interoperable, and reduce the lock-in risks flagged by Parliament.

Ready to See How Councils Are Doing More With Less?

Councils are proving that small teams can still deliver big outcomes when empowered by the right digital tools. See how authorities are cutting weeks from timelines with VU.CITY — book a walkthrough mapped to your authority’s bottlenecks.