UK: Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced the launch of Extract, a a new AI tool designed to speed up the processing of planning applications.
Extract is described as an AI assistant for planning officers and local councils, developed by government with support from Google.
The technology will help councils convert handwritten planning documents and maps into data in minutes – and will power new types of planning software to slash the 250,000 estimated hours spent by planning officers each year manually checking these documents.
Around 350,000 planning applications are submitted a year in England, yet the system remains heavily reliant on paper documents – some hundreds of pages long. Once submitted, each of these documents needs to be manually validated and approved by a planning officer.
In test trials across Hillingdon, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Exeter councils, Extract digitised planning records, including maps, in just three minutes each – compared to the one to two hours it typically takes manually. This means Extract could process around 100 planning records a day – significantly speeding up the process.
Extract is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026. The government’s ambition is to fully digitise the planning system – making it faster, more transparent, and easier to navigate for working people, councils, businesses and developers.
Starmer said: “For too long, our outdated planning system has held back our country— slowing down the development of vital infrastructure and making it harder to get the homes we need built. This government is working hand in hand with business to change that. With Extract, we’re harnessing the power of AI to help planning officers cut red tape, speed up decisions, and unlock the new homes for hard-working people as part of our Plan for Change. It’s a bold step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million more homes and deliver a planning system that’s fit for the 21st century.”
Extract is based on Google DeepMind’s Gemini model. Co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis said: “We build our AI models to understand all types of information – from text to handwritten notes and technical drawings – so it’s really exciting to see the UK government choose Gemini to help speed up the planning process and support planners and people across the country.”
Highlights:
• Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced the launch of Extract, a a new AI tool designed to speed up the processing of planning applications
• Extract is based on Google DeepMind’s Gemini model
• Following a trial, Extract is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026