Pathfinder Pre-App Project

In November 2021, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) announced that it was looking for local authorities who wanted to improve their existing development management software in collaboration with their current software provider to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) with the opportunity to receive funding up to £150,000.

Sponsored by Maxine Brown, Digital Portfolio Director and supported by Helen Oakerbee, Assistant Director of planning the Digital portfolio team rallied to submit a bid and we are delighted to announce that Havering’s Digital Portfolio Team has secured the full £150,000 funding from the DLUHC.

As part of the Platforms and Integrations programme, the Digital Portfolio Team will deliver an end-to-end user-centred planning pre-application process to improve reporting of planning data, make records easily accessible, increase process efficiency and share best practice with other Local Planning Authorities.

This project will be led by Digital Business Analyst Matthew Riddell and TechWomen100 award winner Georgia Mantzana, a Senior User Experience (UX) Designer in collaboration with Havering’s planning team. In November, as part of the research for the bid, a collaborative discovery workshop was held with councils who are also using the planning software, Ocella, to understand their current state, user and business needs, validate assumptions and build agreement across project supporters.

What improvements can we expect?

• Moving from paper-based process to self-serve. Instead of asking users to complete a paper form that can only be read by humans then call us to make a payment this will allow them to book, pay, and manage their pre-application appointment online. The planning service will receive the information in the form of structured data.
• Engaging and communicating with users across all touchpoints using notifications (reminders, updates and survey links etc.)
• Streamlining and simplifying our pre-application advice process so that we encourage the uptake of planning pre-application advice appointments, reducing the risk of applicants making mistakes in their planning application.
• Making it easier for planning officers to produce reports and have one view of strategic reports using dashboards.
• Providing users with the flexibility to write and configure planning reports without relying on external consultants.

Who benefits from this improved service?

• Havering homeowners and businesses who want to receive advice before they submit a planning application.
• Architects or other professionals making and attending a planning appointment on behalf of their client.
• Council helpline and Customer Services staff who book pre-application appointments and take payments on applicant’s behalf.
• Planning professionals working within the planning department, receiving and processing enquiries and applications, running the planning department, collecting, updating or publishing planning data.

The Development Management Software Pathfinders kick-off meeting will be held on Friday 21 January 2022. The official publish launch event with the other successful Local Planning Authorities is on Thursday 1 February to start the 12-week project period ending April 2022.

Follow us for regular updates about this project.