A free online mapping toolkit set to launch in 2025 can help the government meet its target to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years by giving policymakers the tools to make evidence-based decisions on where, how and when to build.

In an article published by Policy@Manchester, Professor Richard Kingston – director of the National Environment Research Council (NERC) funded academic team behind the Digital Solutions Hub (DSH) – highlights the principal challenges facing ministers if they are to achieve their housebuilding objective.

“Identifying appropriate land for housing requires balancing multiple factors -availability, environmental protection, and infrastructure capabilities,” he writes.  “Ensuring access to reliable transport networks, utilities, and public services is critical for creating not just houses but thriving communities. Simultaneously, new housing projects must address climate concerns, minimise carbon footprints and adapt to risks like flooding or biodiversity loss.”

However, Kingston stresses that spatial data, environmental monitoring, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can offer cutting-edge solutions to these problems with the DSH set to play a transformative role.  He continues: “With access to a wealth of environmental data, and the ability to model and visualise complex spatial relationships, the Hub empowers local authorities, planners, and developers to better align housing expansion with environmental, social, and economic goals.”

The ability to gather, analyse and visualise spatial data is “at the heart of the DSH,” the Professor of Urban Planning and GISc at The University of Manchester explains, adding: “GIS tools, combined with real-time environmental monitoring, offer policymakers insights into the interaction between proposed housing developments and the natural landscape.”

He describes how DSH provides detailed information about land use patterns, soil quality, water resources, flood risks and biodiversity hotspots, allowing planners “to avoid ecologically sensitive areas and prioritise locations where environmental disruption can be minimised.”

Kingston underlines that GIS-based models, supported by the DSH, “provide a clear picture of existing infrastructure and highlight gaps or pressure points that new developments would create.”  He continues: “Using spatial data, planners can map proximity to transport hubs, roads, and green spaces, identifying areas where housing could reinforce local economies and improve social mobility.”

And he informs readers that GIS technology enables planners “to assess the climate risks associated with specific sites and to explore opportunities for integrating renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and thermal power, into housing projects.”  He adds: “The DSH supports this by providing detailed environmental data and models to analyse how different developments interact with energy demand, emissions outputs, and natural carbon sinks like forests or wetlands.”

In his piece, Kingston advises policymakers to follow four criteria if the government’s 1.5 million housebuilding target is to be met.

First, he suggests they work closely with local authorities, developers and researchers to utilise GIS tools – like the DSH – in selecting sites that balance housing needs with environmental protection.  He writes: “Areas with low biodiversity impact, minimal flood risk, and existing infrastructure connectivity should be prioritised, while ecologically sensitive regions should be avoided.”

Second, he makes the case for new developments to be integrated with existing or planned transport networks, utilities and public services.  He continues: “Using the data from the DSH, planners can better anticipate where infrastructure upgrades are needed and coordinate housing projects accordingly.”

Third, Kingston argues that policymakers should develop guidelines “that require housing developers to assess and integrate climate resilience measures into their planning,” thereby “ensuring homes are built to withstand future climate risks while contributing to carbon reduction targets.”

And fourth, he calls for effective coordination between government bodies, environmental groups, local communities and the private sector.  He adds: “The DSH is a critical platform for facilitating collaboration between these stakeholders, allowing them to share data, insights and best practice.”

‘Harnessing Digital Solutions for Sustainable Housing Expansion: A GIS-Powered Approach’ by Professor Richard Kingston is available to read on the Policy@Manchester website.