Digital Urban
Derby revolutionise city planning using digital twin technology
Derby revolutionise city planning using digital twin technology
Details:
- Company: Digital Urban
- Client: Derby City Council
- Year: 2025
- Region: England
Service areas:
- Planning and urban design services
- Plan-making, planning application and data management systems
- Digital twins
Introduction
Derby City Council is introducing mandatory 3D modelling requirements for city centre planning applications. The authority has launched a Digital Twin of the city, created by Digital Urban.
All city centre applications judged to affect the character or appearance of the area, including taller buildings and schemes in sensitive locations, will now be required to submit a full 3D digital model. These models will be integrated into the council’s digital twin to test visual impact, scale and massing in the context of surrounding buildings, assessed by officers and councillors to get best possible outcomes.
All city centre applications judged to affect the character or appearance of the area, including taller buildings and schemes in sensitive locations, will now be required to submit a full 3D digital model. These models will be integrated into the council’s digital twin to test visual impact, scale and massing in the context of surrounding buildings, assessed by officers and councillors to get best possible outcomes.
Challenges
Assessing the true visual impact, scale, and massing of proposed developments relied heavily on 2D plans, elevations and artist's impressions. These static representations often fail to convey how a new building will truly look and feel within the existing urban context, especially from street level or from surrounding properties.
Without a clear, universally accessible 3D model integrated into the city's environment, decisions about suitability were often more subjective, leading to less optimal design outcomes.
Without a clear, universally accessible 3D model integrated into the city's environment, decisions about suitability were often more subjective, leading to less optimal design outcomes.
Solutions
The utilisation of the digital twin is a big win for residents and the council as it means better planning decisions with higher levels of scrutiny, and more confidence in how developments will truly feel once they're built.
This confidence means the council can be ambitious with new plans and present them in a totally transparent way.
This confidence means the council can be ambitious with new plans and present them in a totally transparent way.
Results
The benefits of the 3D model for applicants include a greater potential for decisions on the planning applications to be made at a faster rate.
The planning process will be streamlined. Development proposals will be imported into the 3D model and council officers can efficiently determine how appropriate the development is within the environment.
The planning process will be streamlined. Development proposals will be imported into the 3D model and council officers can efficiently determine how appropriate the development is within the environment.
I’m delighted to introduce these two, cutting-edge planning tools to the people of Derby. With these, we can offer a more streamlined planning process for residents and developers, while ensuring that new developments align with our vision for the city centre while respecting its heritage.
Councillor Shiraz Khan
Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services
