Artificial intelligence is being tested as a tool to assist district councillors in determining where to build 5, 400 homes by 2041. Forest of Dean district councillors face government pressure to deliver 597 homes annually, an increase from the previous target of 330 homes per year set in summer 2024. Council leader Adrian Birch explained that the authority commissioned an AI company to conduct a research project aimed at evaluating whether the technology could be trusted. He expressed a desire to accelerate decision-making processes, stating at a council meeting: "If we can trust the AI to get it right then we will look at whether that is a feasible option. " Under its plan for 2021 to 2041, the district council had originally intended to build 6, 600 homes, until the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government imposed new mandatory targets last year. These new requirements increased the council’s obligation by 5, 400 homes, bringing the total to 12, 000 homes by 2041. Many locations for the initial 6, 600 homes have already been identified, mainly in Lydney, Beachley, and Newent. The search for sites for the additional 5, 400 homes has revived previous proposals, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. These proposals include establishing a garden town between the A40 and A48 near Churcham and developing a new settlement near junction 2 of the M50 close to Redmarley. Mr.

Birch informed councillors: "We are trialling some AI support on this which will see if it provides the information we need. " He added that the AI company had been tasked with analyzing public responses from last summer’s local plan consultation. "We will then be comparing our results with their results, " he concluded.