The UK is grappling with a severe housing shortage, with government goals set to deliver over 300,000 new homes each year.
While policy changes have been suggested to tackle this urgent issue, the property sector has historically lagged in adopting technological advancements that could help meet these ambitious targets—until recently.
London-based PropTech company Searchland has introduced the UK’s first AI-powered Land Sourcing Assistant, transforming how developers locate and evaluate land for housing projects.
Mitchell Fasanya, CEO and Founder of Searchland, believes AI could drive a property sector revolution:
“The property industry has always been slower in adopting new technologies, particularly in the planning and development stages. With land teams more stretched than ever, we recognised the need for a tool that could boost efficiency.
“An AI programmed specifically to support housebuilders and developers is crucial to streamlining the entire land assessment process and focus on delivering homes faster.”
Historically, land sourcing has been a time-consuming task, requiring developers to survey local areas, negotiate with landowners, and rely on informal tips from colleagues.
These manual approaches contribute to delays in the development process, slowing down the pace of housebuilding. However, Searchland’s AI Land Sourcing Assistant is set to change that.
With conversational commands, the AI responds to simple prompts like, “Find sites larger than 10 acres with no previous development,” or more detailed requests, such as, “Find 5,000 sqm sites, free from planning constraints that could affect residential permissions, within five miles of a settlement.”
The AI scans hundreds of land and property data points from Searchland’s comprehensive database, providing the most suitable land options in seconds.
“While Searchland has been a reliable tool for land sourcing for several years, setting the right search criteria has always required specific knowledge,” Fasanya explains. “Our AI assistant removes that barrier by using the vast amount of data in Searchland’s system to identify opportunities developers may not have even considered. It simplifies the search process and pinpoints ideal parcels of land.”
By automating the land-finding stage, Searchland’s AI reduces the time developers need to identify viable sites, enabling them to progress quickly from acquisition to construction.
“AI is more than just a tool; it’s a game-changer,” Fasanya asserts. “With our AI assistant, developers can discover land opportunities faster, meaning we can accelerate the housebuilding process. We aim to help the industry meet government targets and ensure more people can access homes.”
For more information on Searchland and its AI Land Sourcing Assistant, visit https://searchland.co.uk/.