Northumberland County Council is trialling AI-enabled technology to support more efficient flood planning decisions.
Backed by more than £725,000 funding from the Government’s Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), the council’s research project will explore the potential for AI to accelerate and improve decision-making about national flood risk.
According to the local authority, the trial will seek to create a ‘practical governance framework’ for the responsible use of AI to analyse Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs), with each part of the project to be supervised by experts.
Nick Watson, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Manager with the County Council explained: ‘As a council we review thousands of planning applications each year, many requiring detailed FRAs and drainage strategies to ensure developments remain safe and resilient.
‘While these assessments are vital for protecting communities, they can be complex and time-consuming to produce and review.
‘This project will test how artificial intelligence can help officers and developers. By using AI tools to help review FRAs more efficiently and support developers in producing higher-quality submissions, the initiative aims to speed up planning decisions without compromising safety.’
Cllr John Riddle, Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural, added: ‘This will help local authorities across the country reduce delays, support sustainable growth, and accelerate the delivery of new homes, while maintaining robust flood risk standards.’
For more on this topic, check out 10 Ways Councils Are Using AI to Transform Public Services.
