The UK faces a severe housing shortage, with government targets set to deliver over 300,000 new homes annually.
Although policy changes have been proposed, the property sector has historically struggled to adopt the technology needed to support these aims—until now.
Searchland, a London-based PropTech firm, has developed the UK’s first AI-powered Land Sourcing Assistant, changing the way developers locate and evaluate land for housing projects.
Mitchell Fasanya, CEO and Founder of Searchland, believes AI has the power to transform the property industry:
“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 labour-intensive task, with developers required to explore areas, liaise with landowners, and rely on insider information.
These manual processes lead to delays, hindering the speed of housebuilding. Searchland’s AI Land Sourcing Assistant, however, aims to change that.
With conversational commands, the AI handles simple queries like, “Find sites larger than 10 acres with no prior development,” as well as more specific ones such as, “Find 5,000 sqm sites, free from planning restrictions, within five miles of a settlement.”
Using Searchland’s extensive database of land and property data, the AI returns the most relevant 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 process, Searchland’s AI allows developers to identify opportunities faster, enabling a quicker transition 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 on Searchland and its AI Land Sourcing Assistant, visit https://searchland.co.uk/.
