A Global-First Platform Transforming Land-Use Planning
The NSW Government has committed an additional $20 million to expand its Land iQ system, a world-first land-use intelligence platform that’s rapidly changing how planners, developers, and governments identify and assess land across New South Wales.
Developed by Property and Development NSW (PDNSW) in partnership with WSP, Giraffe, and Aerometrex, Land iQ has already become a cornerstone of the state’s new-era digital planning system.
Combining more than 200 data sources and 75 land-use layers into one 3D visual interface, the platform allows users to test scenarios, evaluate sites, and collaborate in real time, slashing the time and cost traditionally associated with land feasibility and planning studies.
What the $20 Million Expansion Will Deliver
The funding injection aims to make Land iQ more accessible, powerful, and affordable. According to PDNSW, the investment will:
- Broaden government use of Land iQ to identify land suited for housing, open space, industrial zones, and environmental protection.
- Open subscriptions to councils, universities, land councils, and private users who can select only the modules they need, making the system more cost-effective.
- Integrate with Giraffe software, expanding its data-visualisation and scenario-modelling capabilities.
- Enable data sharing across other digital platforms to enhance overall functionality.
- Add site-feasibility tools, allowing users to integrate their own datasets with Land iQ’s rich information bank.
The system already underpins the NSW Government’s land audit, which has identified more than 10,000 potential home sites across the state. The new funding, according to government officials, will accelerate housing delivery while improving environmental outcomes.
Ministers Call It a “Gamechanger” for Smarter Planning
Steve Kamper, Minister for Lands and Property, described Land iQ as a “gamechanger” that’s already reshaping how decisions are made.
“Our groundbreaking Land iQ tool has been helping government and the private sector make faster and better decisions around land use,” Mr Kamper said.
“This funding ensures the tool isn’t limited to government, it will now be available more widely across the economy.”
Paul Scully, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, said the expansion was another step in modernising the planning system.
“It’s an important digital tool for identifying land to deliver homes, open space, jobs, and industrial precincts,” Mr Scully said.
“It builds on our reforms to make the planning process faster, fairer, and better equipped for the challenges of today.”
From Flood Response to Future Readiness
Beyond housing and zoning, Land iQ has proved its real-world value in crisis situations. Following the Northern Rivers floods, the platform was used to locate safe, developable land for emergency housing.
That experience has led to ongoing work between PDNSW and local councils to use Land iQ in disaster preparedness, helping communities plan evacuation routes, assess flood-prone land, and design resilient infrastructure.
Tangible Value for Industry and Local Government
For consultants and councils, the benefits extend beyond speed and accuracy.
James Strutt, Director of Strategic Advisory Services at PDNSW, said Land iQ has proven to be a cost-saver as much as a time-saver.
“A large regional council recently saved around $80,000 on a single strategic planning project using Land iQ compared with traditional external consultancy methods,” he said.
“A yearly subscription costs just $8,000, so if you use it across multiple projects, the savings compound quickly.”
With the upgrade, users will be able to embed their own datasets, test planning concepts, and run detailed site-feasibility models, capabilities that traditionally required multiple consultants and lengthy reports.
A Tool Built on Collaboration and Technology
Behind the platform’s success is a unique collaboration between public and private partners.
Technology firm WSP provides the analytics framework; Giraffe delivers the mapping and 3D visualisation interface; and Aerometrex contributes advanced spatial data.
Since its soft launch in 2021, the platform has moved from pilot to statewide deployment, now used by planners, developers, and consultants working on everything from infill housing to industrial redevelopment.
Democratising Land Data
A key principle of the expansion is accessibility. For decades, comprehensive land-use data was fragmented across agencies and often locked behind bureaucratic processes. Land iQ centralises that information in one secure interface making it easier for anyone involved in planning, from local councils to major developers, to make informed decisions.
The subscription-based model also opens the door for universities, researchers, and start-ups to use the data in innovative ways from climate-risk mapping to housing-affordability modelling.
Digital Planning Gathers Momentum
The Minns Government’s support for Land iQ follows a string of planning-system reforms designed to embrace digital transformation and AI integration. These include upgrades to the NSW Planning Portal, the introduction of AI-powered assessment tools, and streamlined approval processes aimed at reducing delays in housing delivery.
Together, these measures form a broader vision for a “faster, fairer, modern planning system”,one that relies on live data, collaboration, and transparency rather than paper-based workflows.
Industry Outlook: Efficiency Meets Accountability
For Australia’s building and development sector, Land iQ represents a new benchmark in how technology can bridge the gap between planning intent and on-ground delivery.
By reducing duplication and enabling shared data access, the system promotes collaboration between public and private sectors, a move that could help ease long-standing bottlenecks in housing supply and infrastructure rollout.
If effectively scaled, Land iQ could set a precedent for data-driven planning frameworks nationwide, aligning environmental, housing, and economic outcomes in one interactive platform.
The Good Builder View
Tools like Land iQ reflect a broader shift towards evidence-based decision-making in property and planning. For builders, developers, and consultants, the implications are profound, faster site identification, fewer feasibility blind spots, and greater accountability in how land is used.
As the system opens up to more users, it has the potential to become a national model for integrated land-use planning, proving that when government, technology, and industry work together, progress follows.
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