Recommendation 3

Improved data sharing is a fundamental enabler of efficient and effective cross-organisational work to deliver sustainable housing. While there is evidence of cross-departmental working between DEFRA and MHCLG on planning, nature and housebuilding, the evidence we have taken suggests that existing data platforms are still siloed within organisations. This inhibits the sharing of geospatial and ecological data which could improve decision making relating to environmental and housing building targets. The sharing of environmental and land use data is a key enabler for improving cross-departmental collaboration, supporting decision-making, increasing overall efficiency and allowing government departments, local planning authorities, and arms-length bodies to collaborate on individual cases, within a single, unified case working system. (Conclusion, Paragraph 31)