# UK Council Planning Applications Monitor (`illehius/uk-planning-monitor`) Actor Monitor newly validated, decided, or updated planning applications across selected UK council portals (Idox PublicAccess, Northgate Planning Explorer). HTTP-only; designed for scheduled runs with onlyNew dedupe. - **URL**: https://apify.com/illehius/uk-planning-monitor.md - **Developed by:** [Siddhant](https://apify.com/illehius) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Lead generation, Real estate - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $50.00 / 1,000 application founds This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## UK Council Planning Applications Monitor Monitor newly validated, decided, or updated planning applications across selected UK council portals. Returns a normalized, alert-ready record per application. Designed for **scheduled runs**: pair with Apify Schedules + an Apify Webhook (or Zapier/Make integration) to get notified when new applications appear. Pay-per-event pricing means you only pay for the applications surfaced. ### Supported Councils (MVP) | Council | Portal Type | Status | |---------|-------------|--------| | Woking | Idox PublicAccess | Active | | Brent | Idox PublicAccess | Active | | Westminster | Idox PublicAccess | Active | `failOnCouncilError` (boolean, default `false`) — when `false`, a single failing council records a `{status:'failed',error}` entry in the run summary and the run continues to remaining councils. When `true`, the run fails on the first council error. More councils added as adapter coverage expands. See "Roadmap" below. > **Scheduling tip for Westminster:** Westminster's weekly-list form exposes a 4-week rolling window of recent applications. If you're using `onlyNew: true` to track new applications, run at least every 4 weeks (a weekly schedule is well within bound). Brent and Woking have longer windows (52 and 16 weeks respectively). ### Input | Field | Type | Default | Description | |-------|------|---------|-------------| | `councils` | string[] | *required* | Council IDs (e.g. `"woking"`) or full portal URLs. | | `dateMode` | enum | `validated` | One of `validated`, `decided`, `updated`. | | `dateFrom` | string (YYYY-MM-DD) | 7 days ago | Start of search window. | | `dateTo` | string (YYYY-MM-DD) | today | End of search window. | | `keywords` | string[] | `[]` | Case-insensitive match against proposal/description/address. | | `postcodes` | string[] | `[]` | Outward (e.g. `GU21`) or full postcode filters where the portal supports them. | | `maxResultsPerCouncil` | integer | `100` | Cap per council per run. | | `includeDetails` | boolean | `true` | Fetch detail pages to enrich status/ward/documents. | | `includeDocuments` | boolean | `false` | Surface document-list metadata (title, type, date, URL). Documents are never downloaded. | | `stateKey` | string | — | Optional key enabling monitoring mode (`onlyNew`, `firstSeenAt`, `lastSeenAt`). | | `onlyNew` | boolean | `false` | When true, output only applications not seen in prior runs for the same `stateKey`. | #### Example: weekly Woking watch ```json { "councils": ["woking"], "dateMode": "validated", "stateKey": "weekly-woking", "onlyNew": true } ```` ### Output Each application is one dataset record. Key fields: | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | `councilId` / `councilName` / `portalType` | Source identifiers. | | `applicationRef` | Council's application reference (e.g. `PLAN/2026/0042`). | | `address` / `postcode` | Site location. | | `proposal` | Description of works. | | `applicationType` / `status` / `decision` | Application category and current state. | | `receivedDate` / `validatedDate` / `decisionDate` | Key dates. | | `ward` / `parish` / `caseOfficer` | Local context. | | `documents` | Document-list metadata (title, type, date, URL) — only when `includeDocuments: true`. Documents are never downloaded. | | `firstSeenAt` / `lastSeenAt` / `isNew` | Monitoring-mode tracking (only populated when `stateKey` is set). | | `detailUrl` / `documentsUrl` | Source-verifiable links back to the council portal. | ### Notes - Document content is **never** downloaded. Only metadata (title, type, date, URL) is surfaced. - Public comments are not scraped (personal-data risk). - `applicantName` / `agentName` are returned only when the council exposes them publicly on detail pages. ### Reliability - Transient network failures retry automatically with exponential backoff. - Per-council error isolation: a single failing council does not fail the whole run unless `failOnCouncilError` is true. The summary records each council's status individually. ### Roadmap - Wandsworth (Northgate Planning Explorer adapter — second portal type). - Additional councils by request. # Actor input Schema ## `councils` (type: `array`): Array of council IDs (e.g. "woking") or full portal URLs. Supported IDs in MVP: woking. More councils added as adapter coverage expands. ## `dateMode` (type: `string`): Which application date drives the search window: validated (default), decided, or updated. ## `dateFrom` (type: `string`): Start of search window in YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to 7 days ago when omitted. ## `dateTo` (type: `string`): End of search window in YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to today when omitted. ## `keywords` (type: `array`): Optional array of keywords matched (case-insensitive) against proposal, description, or address. Empty = no keyword filter. ## `postcodes` (type: `array`): Optional outward (e.g. GU21) or full postcode filters; only applied where the portal supports postcode search. ## `maxResultsPerCouncil` (type: `integer`): Hard cap on records returned per council per run. ## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`): Fetch each application's detail page to enrich status/decision/ward/document metadata. Disable for cheaper list-only runs. ## `includeDocuments` (type: `boolean`): Surface the application's document list (title, type, date, url) without downloading the documents themselves. Copyright-safe; differentiator vs PlanIt. ## `stateKey` (type: `string`): Optional key for monitoring/dedupe state. Stored namespaced by user. Use the same key across scheduled runs to enable onlyNew filtering and firstSeenAt/lastSeenAt tracking. ## `onlyNew` (type: `boolean`): When true, output only applications not seen in prior runs for the same stateKey. Requires stateKey. ## `failOnCouncilError` (type: `boolean`): When true, the run fails on the first council that errors. When false (default), per-council failures are recorded in SUMMARY but the run continues to remaining councils. ## Actor input object example ```json { "councils": [ "woking" ], "dateMode": "validated", "maxResultsPerCouncil": 100, "includeDetails": true, "includeDocuments": false, "onlyNew": false, "failOnCouncilError": false } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `applications` (type: `string`): Dataset of normalised planning applications. Each record carries councilId, applicationRef, address, postcode, proposal, status, validatedDate/decisionDate/receivedDate, detailUrl, documentsUrl, and (when includeDocuments=true) a documents\[] metadata array of {title,type,date,url} — documents are never downloaded. ## `summary` (type: `string`): Per-council status (ok/failed) and total counts (found/new/errored) for the run. # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "councils": [ "woking" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("illehius/uk-planning-monitor").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "councils": ["woking"] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("illehius/uk-planning-monitor").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "councils": [ "woking" ] }' | apify call illehius/uk-planning-monitor --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=illehius/uk-planning-monitor", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "UK Council Planning Applications Monitor", "description": "Monitor newly validated, decided, or updated planning applications across selected UK council portals (Idox PublicAccess, Northgate Planning Explorer). HTTP-only; designed for scheduled runs with onlyNew dedupe.", "version": "0.3", "x-build-id": "WUcyz5XaEtnhtqJrp" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/illehius~uk-planning-monitor/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-illehius-uk-planning-monitor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/illehius~uk-planning-monitor/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-illehius-uk-planning-monitor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/illehius~uk-planning-monitor/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-illehius-uk-planning-monitor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "councils" ], "properties": { "councils": { "title": "Councils", "type": "array", "description": "Array of council IDs (e.g. \"woking\") or full portal URLs. Supported IDs in MVP: woking. More councils added as adapter coverage expands.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "dateMode": { "title": "Date Mode", "enum": [ "validated", "decided", "updated" ], "type": "string", "description": "Which application date drives the search window: validated (default), decided, or updated.", "default": "validated" }, "dateFrom": { "title": "Date From (ISO)", "type": "string", "description": "Start of search window in YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to 7 days ago when omitted." }, "dateTo": { "title": "Date To (ISO)", "type": "string", "description": "End of search window in YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to today when omitted." }, "keywords": { "title": "Keywords", "type": "array", "description": "Optional array of keywords matched (case-insensitive) against proposal, description, or address. Empty = no keyword filter.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "postcodes": { "title": "Postcodes", "type": "array", "description": "Optional outward (e.g. GU21) or full postcode filters; only applied where the portal supports postcode search.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxResultsPerCouncil": { "title": "Max Results Per Council", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 1000, "type": "integer", "description": "Hard cap on records returned per council per run.", "default": 100 }, "includeDetails": { "title": "Include Detail Page Fields", "type": "boolean", "description": "Fetch each application's detail page to enrich status/decision/ward/document metadata. Disable for cheaper list-only runs.", "default": true }, "includeDocuments": { "title": "Include Document Metadata List", "type": "boolean", "description": "Surface the application's document list (title, type, date, url) without downloading the documents themselves. Copyright-safe; differentiator vs PlanIt.", "default": false }, "stateKey": { "title": "State Key (Monitoring Mode)", "type": "string", "description": "Optional key for monitoring/dedupe state. Stored namespaced by user. Use the same key across scheduled runs to enable onlyNew filtering and firstSeenAt/lastSeenAt tracking." }, "onlyNew": { "title": "Output Only New Applications", "type": "boolean", "description": "When true, output only applications not seen in prior runs for the same stateKey. Requires stateKey.", "default": false }, "failOnCouncilError": { "title": "Fail on Council Error", "type": "boolean", "description": "When true, the run fails on the first council that errors. When false (default), per-council failures are recorded in SUMMARY but the run continues to remaining councils.", "default": false } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```