The BBC reports on Dorset Council testing AI to speed up planning applications:

Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are being trialled in Dorset to help combat planning application delays.

The team of agents is helping Dorset Council planning officers with minor applications by reviewing documents and providing recommendations.

Dorset is one of three councils trialling the tool, developed by AI specialist Faculty on behalf of the government.

James O’Malley has written about it himself:

But if the AI works as intended, councils try the tools out, and the paperwork side of the job is sped up, this could be transformative. It will give overstretched planning officers more time to do the other parts of their jobs – which will reduce the time from an application going in to spades hitting the ground. And that’s not even to mention how much less annoying it will be to be on the other side of the planning process, as your application won’t be left in limbo for quite so long.