Greater Cambridge Shared Planning secures funding for digital software to improve planning processes

Greater Cambridge Shared Planning has secured £100,000 of funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Homes and Communities (DLUHC) in the latest Digital Planning Improvement round. 

This financial boost represents a significant step forward for Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP), which is a partnership between South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City Councils, in its journey towards embracing digital transformation to improve planning services for residents.

The funding will enhance GCSP’s digital capabilities and development management software, facilitating smoother operations and better integration of planning data. These upgrades will make planning processes faster and more efficient, which will directly benefit residents and developers. Moreover, it will enable GCSP to prepare for forthcoming legislation, ensuring compliance and readiness for future regulatory changes.

Cllr Katie Thornburrow, Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control and Infrastructure at Cambridge City Council said: “We’re committed to the continuing transformation of our planning processes and to giving our teams the best tools as they work hard to offer residents and developers a streamlined and efficient service. This excellent bid will support our existing efforts to understand where and how AI and other digital technologies can be used within the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service to go even further, always keeping the needs of our users at the centre of our thinking.”

Cllr Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Lead Cabinet Member for Planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council, commented: “This funding is a win for Greater Cambridge as we continue to transform our planning processes for the benefit of residents. It will fund digital software that will make planning processes simpler, faster, and more accessible.”