Urban Intelligence

We use geospatial intelligence to provide land owners, developers and government with leading insight on the development potential of land and property across Great Britain.

Meet the Partner

Urban Intelligence is transforming the development of local plans to utilise software engineering, geospatial data and data science to empower local authorities to plan smarter.

Urban Intelligence is dedicated to making a positive impact on the future shape of towns and cities. What makes Urban Intelligence unique is the rare combination of traditional knowledge in the property development and planning sector paired with cutting-edge expertise of software development and geospatial data science. Our insight, knowledge, and specialist skills put us in a fantastic position to provide planning solutions, built by planners for planners.

How they can help you

The Local Plan development process is a convoluted and time consuming one, challenges we are working to overcome. By transforming the traditional approach into an automated algorithm designed specifically, our clients have access to unprecedented quantities of data instantly. Using data from a variety of sources, including a Local Authorities’ own database, Ordnance Survey and HM Land Registry. The increased automation allows planners to plan more efficiently and effectively, reducing the time and effort required to produce local plans, meaning they stay current, up-to date and relevant.

PlaceMaker is able to help clients with site identification and assessment, the call for sites procedure, and urban capacity studies. These new, innovative methods allow local authorities to know they have ‘left no stone unturned’ and to have a comprehensive and dynamic grasp of the land opportunities in their area. Urban Intelligence primarily works with planning teams within local authorities throughout England, having already completed projects with Hounslow and Birmingham City Council to name a few. We have also worked with Transport for London (TFL), the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Chesterfield Borough Council, and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.

We are able to support local authorities at any stage of their local plan cycle, with the ability to make a significant impact almost immediately. We have a number of subscription options available to suit you.

Impact

PlaceMaker was originally designed in partnership with the London Borough of Hounslow to create an innovative approach to the traditional ‘Call for Sites’. Hounslow had a ten year housing target to reach 17,820 homes, with 2,800 of these for delivery on small sites of less than 0.25 hectares. Using the new digital approach, UI analysed every single potential site across the borough. That was around 115,000 sites, or 191x as many plots of land (compared to the traditional 300-600). Project outcomes: Highlighted hundreds of new development opportunities A single view of sites across the organisation to improve working Live database - new sites can be added and appraised in real time Pioneered new techniques that will save months of time and effort Lots of time saving features to make life easier for officers and stakeholders.

Read more about this project

"The Urban Intelligence team worked around the clock to deliver exceptional results that exceeded our expectations. UI managed our project very well and beat the deadlines we set."

Candice LeMaitre, TfL’s Commercial Innovation Lead