OR/16/014 Executive summary

Bricker, S, and Webb, S. 2016. City spatial planning and modelling - hidden depths: workshop report. British Geological Survey Internal Report, OR/16/014.

There is a current drive to reform the planning system in the UK to unlock the value of data and embed digital processes into the work of government and cities. It is recognised that existing data, in particular environment and utility datasets, are not fully utilised to inform planning decisions at a local and strategic level. Failure to consider the full suite of data for cities weakens the evidence base on which planning decisions are made and leads to inefficiencies and a late stage awareness of potential issues. This situation is most pronounced for underground development in cities.

The subsurface extent of our cities is gaining increased prominence in future cities thinking. Continued urban growth, demand for resources, city resilience and sustainability concerns bring increased pressures on subsurface space, facilities and services but also opportunities for more strategic subsurface utilisation. For example it is estimated that 76% of London’s total heat demand could be met by secondary sources such as ground heat and re-using waste heat from the underground. In addition we are seeing a growing trend for subsurface living — 450 applications for basements submitted to Kensington and Chelsea in 2013 alone. However we must first address the constraints, the fact that unforeseen ground risks are one of the main causes of project delays and insurance claims on completed projects at a time when government is calling for a 33% reduction in project costs. Meanwhile there are over 680 000 properties at risk of flooding from heavy rainfall in London in a 1 in 200 year event. As a result cities want to increase the amount of urban green cover and infiltration of water into the ground through sustainable drainage systems is being prioritised and included in new planning policy.

There is currently no formal policy for integrating urban underground space and above ground city services within the planning framework and no one organisation with a mandate to take ownership of this issue. However there are a number of projects and initiatives underway which are beginning to address elements of the issue, such as city data management tools, infrastructure mapping, integrated city modelling, building information modelling systems and collation of good practice demonstrators. To capitalise on these initiatives and bring the subsurface into strategic city planning the workshop, hosted by the Future Cities Catapult at their Urban Innovation Centre drew together science expertise and city innovators that work across the boundary between surface and subsurface spatial planning and use, and city modelling. The aim was to demonstrate capability and share learning, identify commercial opportunities to address the challenges, and consider how we can advance this topic at a strategic level within UK cities.

The workshop had two main objectives, which were addressed over three sessions that covered, issues and ideas, tools for city planning and use case development. Short talks by industry experts were given at the start of each session to highlight key points for the attendees.

Workshop objectives:

• Innovation and commercialisation: Highlight the innovation and commercial products & services needed to address city challenges around improved city modelling and spatial planning. Identify funding mechanisms for demonstrators and pilot projects.
• Policy and governance: Review the current policy framework for spatial planning, subsurface development and management. Identify opportunities for strategic policy/city-led initiatives which tackle the challenges around spatial planning.

Session 1: The Challenge: An overview of the city challenges around spatial planning and subsurface management were presented and then discussed amongst the expert group. The issues and potential opportunities were captured during the breakout session and focussed on four challenges areas, commercial issues, technology development, people and policy and scientific knowledge. Much of the concern highlighted by attendees centred on the disparate and silo approach, whether that be relating to data, models, policy or organisational procedure. Overcoming the barrier of commercial data was discussed. The need for business models which recognise the value of data and flexible mechanisms for data delivery were put forward.

Session 2: Tools for city planning: Existing capability in city spatial planning and subsurface management was demonstrated, highlighting how real challenges such as, integrated infrastructure mapping have been tackled and the real-term benefits that resulted. A timeline of data protocols, spatial planning tools, modelling technologies and policy guidance was presented highlighting the range of tools that are available to help provide solutions to improve city planning. Attendees provided a ‘future look’ of emerging technology and anticipated policy change that is likely to shape city development in future. The influence of devolved governance and planning, opportunities for new subsurface planning policy, the need for open and free data platforms and the desire for linked city modelling were highlighted.

Session 3: Developing use cases: Having gained an understanding of the main challenges for city spatial planning and having reviewed the tools available to help tackle these challenges experts at the workshop co-developed ideas for tools and solutions focussed on specific use cases. Three ideas were put forward by the expert group; i) a city information modelling platform that provides decision support systems by bringing together different city datasets using interoperable software; ii) An integrated city mapping system for the collection, archiving, release and visualisation of data across the whole 3D form of the city (full height and depth above and below ground); iii) An underground space assessment tool which evaluates i) the natural ground conditions to inform potential hazards and potential resources (e.g. ground heat and water), and ii) underground infrastructure e.g. basements, tunnels, pilings.

By developing the use case solutions for integrated above-below ground city spatial planning the expert group were challenged to identify the need for the tool, how it would be used, who might develop it and the business case that supports its development. The outcomes from the use case development inform further activities on this topic including proposed work on a brownfield cost calculator tool and a proposal for cross-organisational prototyping of an integrated city mapping system. Outcomes from the workshop are also informing Think Deep UK a newly formed committee for the management of urban underground space.

This report documents outcomes from a workshop run in September 2015 at the Urban Innovation Centre on the topic of City Spatial Planning and Modelling. The workshop was organised by NERC knowledge exchange fellow, Stephanie Bricker in partnership with the Future Cities Catapult. The fellowship aims to improve the way that environmental data is used in cities to tackle urban challenges. The Future Cities Catapult accelerates urban ideas to market, to grow the economy and make cities better and was established by Innovate UK. All images and materials are copyright NERC.