London, 27 February 2025 – The Association for Geographic Information has published a new report aimed at unlocking opportunities for geographic technology within the housing community.
With the UK housing sector in ‘crisis, and the BBC reporting that local Councils have called the UK Governments flagship plan to build 1.5 million homes in England over the next five years ‘unrealistic’ and ‘impossible to achieve’, the AGI convened a group of invited participants including stakeholders from government, industry, registered housing providers, and regulators, to come together to discuss key themes. This roundtable discussion was co-hosted alongside the AGI’s annual conference and flagship event GeoCom last year.
During the discussion a number of questions were posed, including ‘What is geospatial and what can it bring to the housing community?’, ‘How can a place-based approach support the needs of the housing sector?’, and ‘What is the role of technology in housing operations?’.
Key outcomes of the discussions, detailed in the report ‘Housing and Geospatial; A Crisis or Opportunity’, include a commitment to building better communications between geospatial and housing sectors, and to share more relatable stories highlighting the benefits and potential for geospatial to support the housing community. There was also awareness that geospatial and housing could learn from other sectors that are already applying innovation and best practice to improve standards and joined-up thinking.
Richard Flemmings, Director of the Association for Geographic Information and co-organiser of the roundtable commented after the discussion, “It is clear that there are compelling stories about how geospatial can support housing, we just need to find a way to tell those stories. We need to use relatable language, with less jargon, and we need to initiate and propel discussions that will form lasting collaborations which have real impact.”
The discussion and report also reference another, recent publication ‘Beyond the permacrisis – delivering 1000 homes per day’. Alexandra Notay, Chair of Radix Big Tent Housing Commission who published this report, an independent Commissioner at the Geospatial Commission, now part of the new Government Digital Service, and chair of the AGI roundtable discussion added, “There is no shortage of appetite to tackle this challenge. If some, or all, of our recommendations are adopted then it is possible that we might at last have the holistic framework to deliver meaningful change and progress.”
The Association for Geographic Information, representing the UK geospatial sector, is an independent and impartial organisation. Working with members and the wider community, alongside government policy makers, it supports professional development, and provides a lead for best practice across the industry.