Councils across NSW will soon have the opportunity to trial artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in their local planning systems, thanks to a $5.6 million investment from the NSW Government.
Amid a housing crisis and a shortage of planners, the Government is seeking innovative solutions to support councils and speed up development assessment processes.
The AI in NSW Planning project identified areas within the development application assessment process that cause unnecessary delays and could benefit from the implementation of AI.
Three technologies have been selected for trial through the AI Solutions Panel and Early Adopter Grant Program:
- Adaptovate Pty Ltd ‘Development Assessment Intelligence System (DAISY)’
- Archistar Platform
- Propcode CDC
Councils working together on joint grant applications could receive up to $500,000, while individual council applications could receive up to $200,000 to trial these technologies.
With council staff processing development applications for around 85 per cent of all new dwellings in NSW, this funding will enable councils to trial AI solutions and encourage innovative approaches to speed up assessment processes.
The recommended AI products aim to reduce average development assessment times by quickly identifying administrative and data entry errors.
All councils are eligible to apply for funding through the Early Adopter Grant Programme, with applications open for three weeks until 22 May 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by June.
Further details are available on the NSW Planning website.