In the fast-paced world of urban development and local governance, efficiency and accuracy are paramount. At the heart of these operations lies the ever-important task of planning application management. Enter ePlanning.io, a transformative solution designed to revolutionise planning application processes for local councils in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
The ePlanning.io platform is a prime example of modern technology’s potential to enhance complex administrative processes. In essence, ePlanning.io facilitates the seamless management of planning applications, harnessing the power of automation to streamline operations and improve accuracy.
Our solution was born out of the pivotal shift in 2021 when the NSW government mandated local councils to process 100% of their planning applications through the NSW Planning Portal. While this digital platform offered an efficient means for councils to receive and track planning applications, it lacked integration with existing council systems. To bridge this gap, the NSW ePlanning team introduced a set of APIs to enhance connectivity between the planning portal and council systems. This is where ePlanning.io came into play.
At its core, ePlanning.io utilises these APIs to automate the transfer of planning applications, data, and documents between the NSW Planning Portal and a council’s internal systems. By doing so, it eradicates the need for manual processes, thus minimising the risk of human error and ensuring a more precise and timely experience for all parties involved.
Built on Microsoft Azure, ePlanning.io leverages a plethora of robust and scalable services, including Azure API Management (APIM) for routing traffic between various councils and systems, Azure Functions for facilitating dynamic XML to JSON mapping, and Azure App Service for hosting core application components. This ensures high availability, scalability, and superior performance.
The benefits of this innovative approach are manifold. For council staff, ePlanning.io significantly reduces administrative burdens, allowing them to focus their attention on strategic tasks rather than repetitive manual processes. For residents and developers, this means faster and more reliable planning approvals.
For instance, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, which processes an average of 350 planning applications per month, has seen significant improvements in their planning application management process since implementing our solution. By automating the transfer of applications between the NSW Planning Portal and their internal systems, ePlanning.io has reduced manual efforts, human error, and sped up the entire planning application process.
A key strength of ePlanning.io lies in its seamless interoperability with a variety of existing council systems. Its comprehensive integration capabilities, especially with prevalent council software platforms like TechnologyOne, Civica Authority, Infor Pathway, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 environments, provide a unique edge that distinguishes it from other solutions in the market.
Let's take a look at these integrations:
TechnologyOne
As a popular choice for councils in Australia, TechnologyOne is a comprehensive suite of software that supports local governments’ operational requirements. ePlanning.io’s integration with TechnologyOne ensures a streamlined flow of information, from planning applications to building certificates, eliminating duplication and increasing efficiency.
Civica Authority
ePlanning.io seamlessly integrates with Civica Authority, enabling a unified management system for the councils. It allows the automatic transfer of data between the two platforms, reducing manual data entry and the potential for human error.
Infor Pathway
With its ability to interconnect with Infor Pathway, ePlanning.io assists councils in managing their customer, rating, property, and regulatory functions with ease. Our platform automates the data transfer process, ensuring planning applications and related data are consistently updated, creating a more seamless experience for users.
Dynamics 365
Integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 environments allows ePlanning.io to provide councils with an all-encompassing, cloud-based solution that combines Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) capabilities. This helps to improve internal operations and streamline the planning process.
Apart from these specific integrations, ePlanning.io has been designed with an ‘API-first’ approach, which means it can connect with a wide range of third-party services. This empowers councils with the flexibility to use a diverse set of tools and services that best suit their needs, all while maintaining the robustness and efficiency of ePlanning.io.
These seamless integrations bring several advantages to councils. Not only do they enable a smoother transition to the digital planning environment, but they also ensure maximum utilisation of existing software investments. They further empower councils to deliver a superior user experience by automating and improving the planning application process.
By fostering such adaptability and ease of integration, ePlanning.io truly demonstrates its commitment to offering a flexible, customer-focused solution that acknowledges the diverse software landscapes of different councils. Through this, we ensure that regardless of your existing systems, ePlanning.io will be an ideal companion in your planning application management journey.
ePlanning.io is not just a platform; it’s a transformative solution that is reshaping the planning application process landscape for NSW councils. Through automation, seamless integration, and streamlined operations, we are empowering councils to deliver a more responsive and efficient planning system to their communities.
