Residents, businesses and developers will soon benefit from easier access to essential planning information, thanks to support from the government’s Digital Planning Improvement Fund.

Woking will join 48 other local planning authorities across England in adopting open digital planning processes, which focus on publishing standardised, accessible planning data to create a more transparent and efficient system.

Each authority will receive £50,000 to support the transition, enabling data to be published on the national Planning Data platform in a consistent and user‑friendly way, helping to replace information that is currently dispersed across documents or only available by request.

By publishing accurate, structured data, councils can increase transparency, improve decision‑making and support innovation in housing, development and environmental management.

Under the programme, participating councils will publish four priority datasets:

• Conservation Areas
• Listed Buildings
• Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)
• Article 4 Directions, which remove permitted development rights in specific areas, requiring planning permission for certain works.

As part of the initiative, the council will also join Open Digital Planning, a national network of authorities working collaboratively to modernise planning services. Members benefit from shared expertise, training and support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Digital Planning team.

Cllr Louise Morales, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, said: “This is an important step in making planning information more transparent to the public.

“Publishing our data in an open, standardised format will make it far easier for residents, developers and businesses to understand what planning controls apply to their area, supporting better decisions and greater trust in the system.

“Being part of the Open Digital Planning network also allows us to learn from other authorities, adopt proven digital approaches and deliver a more transparent, efficient and accessible service for our community.”

Over the coming months, the council will develop its Digital Planning Maturity Assessment and action plan, setting out how and when the new tools and datasets will be delivered later this year.

The Digital Planning Improvement Fund now supports 171 planning authorities across England, reflecting growing momentum behind the shift to open, consistent planning data.