Amazing imagery collected by the innovative digital techniques used on the project can be accessed across several interactive map pages

Insight

Removing roadblocks on big engagement / consultation / planning approvals projects

PlanEngage removes roadblocks between everyone involved in creating complex reports, environment impact studies, environmental reporting and in the planning approvals process. Digital AECOM’s Software as a Service makes it so much easier for everyone to share spatial information, geolocated data, field work, design files, 3D models and videos with all concerned parties.

Once that report has been created and approved (securely, and efficiently), PlanEngageTM then turns into an accessible and transparent consultation website at the click of a button, allowing all interested communities and individuals to view and comment on the reports – wherever they are and whatever time suits them. Complex approvals processes are now straightforward. Whoever needs to review the content is simply given a unique and secure authenticated log-in, meaning data-integrity and version control headaches are a thing of the past.

The past few years have seen changes to the US government’s National Environmental Planning Act (NEPA) aiming to reduce the environmental approval process from more-than five years down to two. However, getting major infrastructure projects approved, communicated and ready to build in such tight timeframes can be a major headache. It’s costly, complex, and time-consuming – and that’s without the challenge of making sure that everyone who needs to be consulted has an equal opportunity to engage with the planning process. That’s why we created PlanEngage.

What is PlanEngage?

PlanEngage is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that simplifies the creation of complex, in-depth and data-rich planning documents and reports. In-built collaboration tools and industry-leading data-security standards allow you to create documents such as environmental impact studies collaboratively and securely. When you’re ready to engage, the platform transforms at the push of a button into an interactive community engagement portal that publishes those reports and allows the public to review, comment and engage with plans, wherever they happen to be.

How PlanEngage removes roadblocks

As a result, PlanEngage gets rid of traditional collaboration roadblocks that exist between everyone involved in creating these complex planning documents. As a SaaS platform dedicated to complex document-creation, PlanEngage uses a securely hosted, web-based interface that makes it easier for everyone to share spatial information, geolocated data, field work, design files, 3D models and videos with all interested parties.

Sharing information safely and easily

Version-control and data security issues are now also a thing of the past, as anyone involved in the project can review and comment on reports confidentially and with access-controlled log-ins. And once that report has been reviewed and approved, PlanEngage makes it easy for the public to access the information they need to help them understand – and influence – how a project may impact them.

Getting approvals done

Complex approval processes are now straightforward, and data-integrity and version control headaches are a thing of the past. Digital AECOM’s PlanEngage platform can play a major part in helping the US government to achieve its ambition of significantly reducing the NEPA approval timeframes.

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