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HYPE OR FACT? · CHECKED 31 OCTOBER 2026

PlanAssist: 'up to 58%' less time on householder applications

OUR VERDICT

Fact

Our original verdict: “Fact or hype: fact, with soft numbers.”

THE CLAIM

“Google DeepMind built PlanAssist with Gemini to help UK planning officers; it 'has shown it can cut the time planning officers spend assessing householder applications by up to 58%' and is now being made available to 12 more councils.”

@GoogleDeepMind · Original post ↗

What’s actually true

  • PlanAssist, built with Gemini by Google DeepMind with the UK government, Google Cloud and Faculty, helps council planning officers in England with routine householder applications such as extensions and loft conversions.
  • It checks the documents and drawings, checks them against constraints and local and national policy, and drafts a report with citations that the officer edits. A qualified officer still makes every decision.
  • After a pilot since June in Barnet, Camden and Dorset, it moves into a 12-month live beta with 12 more councils, 15 in total. The government wants to offer it to every council in England by the end of 2027, subject to testing.
  • Google says officers spent 58% less time on householder assessment tasks on average (its post says 'up to 58%') and that more than 70% of draft reports were approved without edits. These are pilot figures from three councils with no control group, and 58% of task time isn't 58% off the whole decision.
  • Its launch video is an animated explainer that shows no real software.

Sources

Cost

Not sold to businesses; our check doesn't cover what councils pay.

USE IT IF

Builders, architects and homeowners waiting on routine householder decisions in the councils on the list, and any business with paperwork-heavy reviews that wants to copy the pattern (check documents against the rules, draft with citations, a person approves).

SKIP IT IF

Anyone hoping to buy or use it themselves: it's England only and councils only.

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How we knowChecked on 31 October 2026. Verdicts: Fact = the claim holds up; Partly fact = real, but with caveats or overstated parts; Hype = the headline claim isn't supported. Products change quickly, so check the maker's site before you buy. Our methods & sources ↗