Even before the pandemic many town centres across Scotland faced significant challenges: increased number of vacant properties, reduced levels of footfall, complaints from citizens and business, and often a feeling of general decline.

Councils already have data relating to town centres from a range of sources including CCTV, images shared by the public directly and on social media, as well as complaints received.  However, there can be issues with the quality and accuracy of this data and it can be difficult to understand the data coming into different teams across the council and who is aware of what. There are also gaps in the data which impact on the decision making of the council when it comes to making decisions on how best to revitalise town centres.

So, how can technology help councils better understand the data they have, fill in the gaps and help inform decisions to drive town centre revitalisation?

The Solution

Diagonal is building Skyline: a web-based tool that enables planners and decision-makers to explore the current state of their town centre and start testing future scenarios. Skyline uses detailed mapping and data analysis to provide a holistic understanding of town centre amenities and services. It provides local authorities with an evidence-base for taking action on issues relating to housing, transport, energy performance and population change.

The Opportunity

Central government, local authorities, and enterprise agencies are making significant investments into place-making. Diagonal are giving planning professionals the evidence base and tools they need to effectively consult communities, and adapt high streets and town centres into hubs for people to live, work and play — today and in the future.

Next Steps

Before releasing Skyline, Diagonal will be taking the MVP developed during the Accelerator phase and piloting it with partners. Once released, Skyline will be ready for use across any town in Scotland, and beyond. If you are interested in co-creating with Diagonal, get in touch.

The Team

Diagonal is a steward-owned company, legally bound to uphold their mission to build responsible technology. They specialise in spatial and sensitive data analysis and approach projects with openness and transparency, and co-create their technology with their customers.