Beyond the hype: A true planning perspective on AI

This article first appeared in Planning News magazine by the Planning Institute of Australia.

By myLot Head of Planning, Scott Matheson

Beyond the hype: AI in planning

A planner's perspective

I’ve spent a decade working in statutory planning, from a Council stack of files to sparkling private-sector approvals and award-winning State Government projects. I got into planning because I cared deeply about shaping and creating better places for people to live, enjoy and thrive. 

There’s something special about taming the wicked problems of a complex approval then watching that concept come to life. For example, I feel proud every time I drive, ride or walk past the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School building in Richmond. Leading project approvals back in 2020 was an exercise in purpose, balance and persistence. It is genuinely exciting to see the building provide a home (away from home) to its occupants while making an impressive contribution to its surroundings. That’s the best reward as a statutory planner.

Disruption is constant and necessary in statutory planning. To be fit for purpose, our services must evolve with the times. In the past 30 years, our industry has navigated Council amalgamations, shifting tides of local politics, and constant rumours around reforms and deregulation. Recently, a wave of digitisation has replaced hefty planning files and slide rulers that previously cluttered office desks.

To me, nothing has felt as potentially disruptive – exciting, scary, fascinating, depending on your frame – as the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI).  

Local government statutory planning is so important. It’s where small and medium-scale inspirations receive their first tick of approval. Many community members use statutory planning to voice their opinions on new development; it might be their only opportunity in life to be an architectural critic or protect their neighbourhood’s character. Statutory planning is also where many graduate and early career planners learn the ropes. 

The pressures on statutory planning are real and mounting. Growing populations increase housing demand while communities expect their Council rates entitle them to a say on local issues. Planning schemes are rapidly changing with a shift away from character and protectionism towards housing delivery and efficiency. Planner shortages are increasingly common and many are transitioning to the greener pastures of strategic planning or other sections of our industry.

Fatigue and burnout among statutory planners is common, largely driven by the volume of enquiries, a lack of support (real or perceived) and the pressure of being the first line of defence when frustrations flare. Personally, I have been blamed for causing the housing crisis one morning then accused of bulldozing local character in the afternoon. In the words of talented podcaster Abbie Chatfield: it’s a lot.

In Victoria, the April 2025 planning reforms placed more pressure on front-line statutory planners. These are the most significant reforms in a generation, and while ostensibly they aim to simplify and speed up approvals, the impacts land squarely with planning departments implementing the changes. It will take the Victorian community time to adjust to limited objector rights and the responsibility falls to Council’s planners to communicate this change at scale.

That said, this is a moment of opportunity for statutory planners. If we get it right, we will extinguish legacy delays, make planning simpler and more transparent and – most importantly – ensure planners do more of what we enjoy and less of what we don’t.

How planning AI can shape the future we want

To embrace the opportunity, we need to embrace new technology. 

I understand the scepticism though. I’ve sat in meetings with enterprise software companies who promise the world to planners but are conspicuously absent when urgent fixes are required. I’ve heard frightening first-hand stories of broken planners following a stressful and frustrating integration project. Generic software tools adapted from other industries don’t fit the realities of statutory planning. Botched rollouts result in mistrust, workarounds and wasted investment

AI has taken centre stage in many conversations. Gen Z planners are already using the tools in their day-to-day lives (have you heard about the tool that turns VCAT orders into podcasts?!). But to me, the question isn’t how AI can be used in statutory planning – it’s how AI should be deployed to create a future that makes statutory planning easier, more enjoyable and simpler (for everyone).

The industry aligns with this perspective. The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) believes AI should support planners and has emphasised the importance of ethical, transparent use. The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has recently completed a comprehensive research project into AI in Local Government and recognises AI as a tool to reduce pressure on Council workloads. These peak bodies suggest partnerships between Council staff and AI software providers is essential to successful implementation.

I see a future where statutory planners aren’t spending hours responding to redundant queries about decks, sheds or tree removals. I see those planners receiving higher quality applications from residents who have already received accurate site-specific guidance. I see them relieved in knowing that residents have gotten the initial answers they need without a tiring qualifying conversation.

From a first-principles perspective, I want statutory planners to have more time to apply expertise where it’s needed: on complex proposals, Councillor briefings, process improvements and meaningful community engagement. I’m tired of statutory planners being kicked around by frustrated residents, small-scale developers or Councillors who believe that we don’t “get it”. We get it, we just need more time to focus on higher-value tasks.

AI can help us recognise this future. To genuinely support statutory planning functions, AI needs to understand planning schemes, local policies, community context and practical applications. The involvement of AI providers cannot end at “Go Live”. Meaningful and ongoing involvement in statutory planning operations is essential. AI tools evolve instantaneously with planning scheme changes but require connections to be preserved and enhanced to connect with local and human changes. 

Planning has always been a profession of purpose and balance. We balance growth with liveability; policies with people; process with possibilities. AI tools are an opportunity for statutory planners to do more of what we enjoy and less of what we don’t. That’s a vision I want to be part of.

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As our Head of Planning, Scott Matheson was previously Statutory Planning Coordinator at Bayside City Council and has led planning for councils, consultancies and at the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning. Connect with him on LinkedIn or via scott@mylot.ai