Support for Writing a Business Case for Planning Technology

Are you trying to secure funding for a new digital planning tool or service? We know that writing the business case is often a challenging part of this process. You will likely need to get through multiple approval stages, convince different decision makers, and make a compelling argument when the benefits are not always easy to quantify. 

To help you navigate this, the Digital Task Force for Planning (the creators of the Digital Planning Directory) have created a set of practical “prompts” to make this easier. Each prompt helps you write one section of your business case using the Treasury’s five case model. The prompts include ideas, examples and approaches drawn from Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) that have successfully secured funding for planning technology.

Alongside these prompts, we have also created a PropTech Benefits Calculator. This calculator can help demonstrate potential value for money from adopting digital tools and will output figures that can help support an economic case for investment.

Why we created these prompts

The business case prompts have emerged out of work with our partners at MHCLG to understand barriers to property technology (PropTech) adoption. One of the main goals of MHCLG’s Digital Planning Programme is to encourage the adoption of digital tools in mainstream planning practice. It does this partly through the PropTech Innovation Fund, which provides grant funding to support LPAs and innovators to test the art of the possible for digital approaches to planning and housing delivery. Through the programme’s work, deep engagement with LPAs within MHCLG’s Open Digital Planning community and generating further insights from industry sources and partnerships such as the UK PropTech Association’s thematic roundtables, the Department has built a growing understanding of the barriers to adoption.  

A clear theme has emerged from these engagements: procurement is a significant hurdle. In fact, a particular pinch point occurs before LPAs ever take their requirements to market – the difficulty of making a strong initial business case. Teams have told us that advantages of digital tools are often hard to pin down, especially when benefits are not purely financial. Articulating the problem clearly enough to justify change is a challenge. Getting leadership buy in requires showing how the tool links to wider local authority priorities. And LPAs are understandably cautious about committing to something new without a solid case for why it matters.

The questions planners ask when writing business cases are often the same. How do we show this aligns with our LPA’s priorities? What financial analysis do we need? How do we explain the procurement approach? The answers depend partly on what kind of review the case will undergo, and what argument you need to make.

For example, a bid to your service’s existing budget needs a different emphasis from a pitch to a transformation fund. A case based on cost savings needs different financial detail from a case based on service improvement. With this understanding, we wanted to provide you with prompts that match the argument you are trying to put forward.

Which prompts could you use?

To support your business case drafting, internal conversations and justifications, we have made available three versions of each of the five business case sections. 

You can select the version that best aligns with the main argument you are making for your project. 

Base version: This version is likely the best fit if your project aims to improve outcomes for residents and staff within your service area. This narrative is typically well suited to funding requests from your directorate or service budget, where the priority is meeting service objectives and improving team workflows.

Cost focused version: This version is designed for projects built primarily around financial returns, where you need to demonstrate cost savings or new income in detail. You may find this most useful for funding sources that require a clear demonstration of payback, such as an invest to save fund. The narrative focuses heavily on the financial case and the speed of the return on investment.

Transformation version: Consider this version if your project looks to create wider change across multiple service areas or fundamentally alter how your directorate works. This argument often works well for bids to transformation funds or corporate programmes, focusing the narrative on strategic goals and long term change.

You can pick and choose the versions that fit your argument the best.

The five sections explained

We know that not everyone will use the five case model in their LPA. The material, while structured to use the five case model, should be just as useful whether you use a bespoke model, Better Business Cases, or something else. 
 
A complete five case business case has the following sections: 

Strategic Case

This section explains why your project is needed. It sets out the problem you are trying to solve and shows how the project fits with your LPA’s priorities.

Are you trying to show how the tool will help your service meet its objectives? You can use the Base Strategic Case prompt.

Is your case built around financial savings or new revenue? You can use the Cost focused Strategic Case prompt.

Will your project support wider change across the LPA? You can use the Transformation Strategic Case prompt.

Economic Case

This section analyses your options and shows which one offers the best value. It explains why your chosen approach is better than the alternatives.

Are you assessing options based on service improvements and public value? You can use the Base Economic Case prompt.

Do you need to compare options based on their financial costs and benefits? You can use the Cost focused Economic Case prompt.

Are you weighing options against long term strategic goals? You can use the Transformation Economic Case prompt.

Financial Case

This section shows that your project is affordable and fully funded. It sets out the costs and explains where the money will come from.

Are you seeking funds from your service budget for a project with mainly non financial benefits? You can use the Base Financial Case prompt.

Do you need to show detailed financial returns, payback periods and net financial impact? You can use the Cost focused Financial Case prompt.

Are you justifying a larger investment from a central fund by showing long term value? You can use the Transformation Financial Case prompt.

Commercial Case

This section explains your procurement approach. It shows how you will buy the tool from a supplier and what contract terms you need.

Are you planning a standard procurement to meet your service’s needs? You can use the Base Commercial Case prompt.

Is the financial performance of the contract the most important factor? You can use the Cost focused Commercial Case prompt.

Are you buying a platform for wider use or considering a strategic partnership? You can use the Transformation Commercial Case prompt.

Management Case

This section describes how you will deliver the project. It covers project roles, governance, risks and how you will track benefits.

Is your project managed within your service area with standard governance? You can use the Base Management Case prompt.

Do you need to plan for detailed financial tracking and benefits reporting? You can use the Cost focused Management Case prompt.

Will your project involve a multi-disciplinary team and corporate oversight? You can use the Transformation Management Case prompt.

An abridged option

If you want to get something down on paper quickly, we have created an abridged business case template that covers the essentials in two pages.

The abridged version focuses on the base case argument, showing how the tool will improve outcomes for your service. If you would like to develop a fuller case at a later stage, you can return to the prompts above to expand your argument.

Disclaimer: The templates are provided for illustrative planning purposes only. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Digital Task Force for Planning (DTFP) make no warranty as to accuracy or fitness for purpose, and the estimates do not constitute financial, legal, procurement, technical, or other professional advice. Users must verify all inputs and outputs and obtain appropriate professional advice before making decisions. The MHCLG, DTFP, and their representatives are not liable for any loss arising from use of the template. Do not enter personal or confidential information; ensure use complies with your organisation’s governance policies.