The new planning system must utilise digital technologies to efficiently integrate landscape benefits into development

As the planning and landscape sectors confront the prospect of supporting the delivery of 1.5 million homes and critical infrastructure, it is evident that digital technologies are indispensable. The Landscape Institute (LI) continues to play its part in driving this transformation, championing the integration of nature and communities into the digital future of planning.

Key to this work is the development of the LI’s Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) database – a robust, accessible resource designed to help authorities and developers make new development sensitive to local people and places. By aligning with Natural England and other devolved bodies, the LI is ensuring this tool supports planning processes with insight on landscape heritage, data and impact.

In parallel, the LI’s involvement with the Digital Task Force for Planning and engagement with the New Towns Taskforce highlights our efforts to embed landscape values into the delivery of new homes and infrastructure. Working together, stakeholders must harness the digital planning ecosystem to model land use, optimise green infrastructure, and foreground nature-based solutions in strategic decision-making.

Digital Task Force for Planning

The Digital Task Force for Planning is a not-for-profit enterprise that positions spatial planning at the forefront of addressing grand challenges and envisions a planning profession equipped with new digital tools, expertise, and improved data.

The first project to be delivered is the Digital Planning Directory, including a range of UK digital planning service providers for community engagement, visualisation, mapping, sustainability, design, plan-making, artificial intelligence, and more. Our goal is to unlock the full potential of spatial planning in the digital era by acting as a convenor, facilitator, and enabler of digitalisation in spatial planning practice and education.

The future of built and natural environment practices should be interdisciplinary and digitally empowered, and the contribution of landscape professionals will be essential for shaping a digital future that benefits people, nature, and society.

Find out more in the ‘Digital’ edition of Landscape (Autumn 2024).