Digital Planning Tools That Support OPR Best Practice in Pre-Planning

Pre-planning has always been one of the most important touchpoints between planning authorities and applicants the moment where good communication, clear information, and early feedback can make or break the quality of a planning application. In recent years, the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has reinforced that message through Case Study Paper CSP04 – Effective Pre-Planning Engagement, which highlights how digital tools and structured data can improve both the quality and efficiency of pre-planning services. At PrePlanning.ie, we’ve built a platform specifically designed to support these best practices helping both applicants and planning authorities make the pre-planning process faster, fairer, and more consistent.

The OPR’s research sets out clear principles for effective pre-planning engagement. Strong services share common characteristics:

• Early, well-informed submissions supported by quality site information

• Transparent communication and clear records of engagement

• Use of digital systems to track, record, and manage enquiries

• A consistent approach across all planning authorities

• Alignment with the Public Sector ICT Strategy and the move toward e-planning

The goal is simple to make pre-planning more predictable, accessible, and evidence-based, reducing unnecessary workload for both applicants and councils.

Many local authorities already use online mapping and planning portals, but most pre-planning requests still rely on manual review of local policies, zoning layers, or environmental datasets. This is where automation and integration can dramatically improve efficiency. Digital tools like PrePlanning.ie complement OPR best practice by:

✅ 1. Standardising early information

Applicants can instantly generate reports that summarise zoning, constraints, flood risk, heritage, and policy context ensuring that every pre-planning submission includes a consistent baseline of information.

✅ 2. Reducing research time for planners

When applicants use digital pre-planning reports, planners can focus on assessment and feedback rather than manually verifying datasets. The information is clear, spatially referenced, and traceable to authoritative data sources.

✅ 3. Improving transparency and record-keeping

Digital reports create a verifiable record of the site context and planning constraints at the time of the enquiry, supporting OPR recommendations on transparency and consistency in pre-planning advice.

✅ 4. Enhancing collaboration

When both applicants and planning officers work from the same geospatial baseline, conversations become more productive. Shared mapping, clear datasets, and automated references mean fewer misunderstandings and faster decision-making.

✅ 5. Supporting continuous service improvement

Aggregated reporting data helps councils identify common enquiry themes such as recurring zoning queries or environmental constraints and plan proactive communication or policy clarification around them.

The OPR’s call for digitalisation in pre-planning isn’t just about efficiency it’s about accessibility and fairness. Digital tools like PrePlanning.ie help level the playing field by giving every applicant access to the same high-quality baseline data that planners rely on. They also help authorities deliver on wider digital planning goals, such as those outlined in the National Planning Framework and Public Service ICT Strategy. When used together with existing local authority GIS and e-planning systems, PrePlanning.ie forms part of a new, more connected digital ecosystem one that makes pre-planning engagement simpler, faster, and more evidence-based.

If your council is exploring ways to deliver faster, more consistent, and more transparent pre-planning services, we’d love to show you how our platform can help.
Request a demonstration to see how PrePlanning.ie can integrate seamlessly with your existing systems or contact us today 056 7820020 to learn more.