3D model wins technology excellence award

Thursday 25 April 2019

A three-dimensional online model of Jersey, which cost £50,000 to create, has won a prestigious award in recognition of its use of technology.

Jersey 3D, which opened up to members of the public earlier this year, helps users to visualise how proposed developments would look and includes a changeable sunlight simulator to see how light and shadows are cast at any time of day, and at different times of the year.

It was recognised at the Information Technology Association Galway (ITAG) Excellence Awards, where it won the 2019 Digital Project Award, which celebrates successful and innovative projects that make use of digital capabilities.  

Ralph Buchholz, Principal Planner, said: “As far as we’re aware, Jersey 3D is the world’s first 3D planning assessment system – it represents genuine world-class innovation that has been developed by the Government of Jersey and our digital technology partners, and I’m delighted that its contribution to the planning process has been recognised. 

“Jersey 3D is a powerful tool that provides a versatile way of showcasing development in Jersey. The Planning Department and the architectural industry have been using it since 2012 to help us better understand how proposals will affect major island developments, and we have now extended and developed it to a point where it is possible for the public to use it, too."

Video: 3D Jersey enables planners and designers to see their designs within the Island's urban environment.

Mr Bucholz says new functionalities will soon be added to the model, including the dimension of time so that islanders can compare developments in Jersey from 2012 onwards and see how the built environment has changed – and will change – over the years. 

Jersey 3D was generated from aerial photography and ground-level photo surveys and developed by the Government's planning technology partners, RealSim. 

Gavin Duffy, RealSim CEO, said: “We are delighted and honoured to have received this award from our peers in the IT industry. This award is recognition that the 3D planning assessment system developed for Jersey is genuinely world class. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity the Government of Jersey has given us to apply our skills and innovation to how we plan and communicate changes to the built environment.

"Government in any jurisdiction is generally not associated with innovation, so it is a credit to Jersey that they grasped the challenge and have delivered a solution."  

Pictured: 3D Jersey was used to assess the impact of large developments such as Ann Court.

Since its development, the model has been used to assess the impacts of significant proposed developments such as the Future Hospital and the Ann Court housing development. 

The Minister for the Environment, Deputy John Young, said: "I very much hope this important innovation will help developers to better respect Jersey’s special environment in their designs, and our planning officers to better assess the impact of new developments against their immediate surroundings.

“I see it as important as part of my commitment to try to maintain the quality of Jersey’s environment, whether the urban fabric of our built up settlements, or the surrounding landscape, including the green backdrop zone intended to protect views inland from the sea. The model will particularly help to better assess the impact of development on immediate neighbours to avoid unreasonable impact on neighbouring amenities."

The model has also been shortlisted for the Excellence in Tech within Planning Award at the Royal Town Planning Institute, in recognition of the model’s contribution to Jersey’s planning process. The award winners are due to be announced in London later this month.

Pictured: Gavin Duffy, RealSim MD,  Adrian Flaherty, RealSim Jersey Model Manager, Gary Dempsey, RealSim Environment Modeller and Peter Timmins, Galway Advertiser MD. (David Ruffles)