Planning applications across England are set to be processed faster thanks to a new government-developed AI tool, 'Extract', which Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled today at London Tech Week.

Developed with support from Google, the AI assistant will help local councils and planning officers digitise and analyse hundreds of pages of handwritten planning documents and maps in seconds. The tool is designed to modernise a system that currently processes around 350,000 planning applications a year, many still reliant on time-consuming paper-based processes.

"For too long, our outdated planning system has held back our country—slowing down the development of vital infrastructure and making it harder to get the homes we need built," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"This government is working hand in hand with business to change that. With Extract, we’re harnessing the power of AI to help planning officers cut red tape, speed up decisions, and unlock the new homes for hard-working people as part of our Plan for Change.

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"It's a bold step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million more homes and deliver a planning system that’s fit for the 21st century."

The tool has already been piloted in Hillingdon, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Exeter, where it demonstrated the ability to digitise and process planning records, including maps, in just three minutes, a task that would normally take one to two hours manually. This efficiency could enable planning departments to process up to 100 applications a day.

Extract is expected to roll out to all councils by spring 2026 and is a key part of the government's wider push to fully digitise the planning system, making it faster, more transparent, and easier to navigate for residents, councils, and developers. The unlocked data will be publicly available on a new gov.uk page, improving public understanding and oversight.

The AI rollout also aligns with the government's £59.4 million annual spend on digital planning tools, aiming to save the public sector up to £527 million annually through improved efficiency.

The government is working with Google to further expand Extract, using its Gemini model, with ambitions to support all types of planning documents and develop additional tools, including a mobile app for instant scanning.

This digital leap forms a cornerstone of the government's 'Plan for Change' — an ambitious strategy to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament and accelerate critical infrastructure like wind farms, power plants, and major transport projects. Already, 18 nationally significant infrastructure projects have been approved by ministers, alongside key planning decisions for sites such as London City Airport and Oxford Street’s new M&S store.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is set to provide the necessary legislative support to fast-track such developments, further cementing the government’s commitment to economic growth and housing delivery.