‘Game-Changing’ AI Tool to Shake Up Greenfield Sector
A new artificial intelligence-powered tool promising to slash planning timeframes from weeks to minutes is being heralded as a potential game changer for Australia’s land development industry.
Brisbane-based engineering firm Inertia has partnered with New Zealand software company AllsiteAi and infrastructure consultancy Civix to launch Inertia LandAI—a tool designed to fast-track the early stages of land development by automating engineering and design processes.
The technology leverages the design and modelling engine to deliver AI-generated feasibility assessments, grading plans, road and lot layouts, and full site documentation—outputs that traditionally take weeks, within a matter of days.
“It can design a masterplan of 500 lots in 15 to 20 minutes, versus about six weeks of our time … it really is a game changer,” Inertia managing director Scott Clements told The Urban Developer.
According to Clements, Inertia LandAI would provide developers with faster and more accurate insights, enabling more informed decisions earlier in the process.
And it is already being trialled on land subdivision projects in South-East Queensland, including ID Land’s Dawn project at Walloon where Clements said it had saved the developer about $2.5 million.
“This isn’t just about software—it’s about rethinking how we approach feasibility and land planning,” Clements said.
“By combining our team’s expertise with AllsiteAi’s engine and Civix’s workforce capacity, we’re empowering clients with clarity, speed, and confidence from day one.”
The platform offers real-time scenario testing, allowing users to adjust layouts, servicing, and grading plans on the fly, with impacts visualised through interactive 3D models.
It also produces detailed outputs including earthworks balancing, retaining wall solutions, and servicing analysis, tailored for both greenfield subdivisions and complex infill developments.
“Inertia LandAI represents the future of early-stage land development—intelligent, efficient and locally grounded,” Clements said.
Clements is looking to use South-East Queensland as the testbed for the time and money-saving technology, with the potential to roll it out to the rest of Australia over time.
For Civix director Nick Mattison, the value lies in streamlining what has traditionally been one of the most time-consuming stages of a development.
“Early-stage decisions shape the entire life of a project—technically and commercially,” Mattison said. “Inertia LandAI equips clients with the clarity they need right from the outset—helping avoid missteps, reduce risk, and accelerate approvals.”
Clements said the tool was expected to appeal to land developers, planners, project managers, urban designers, and investors who were looking for a competitive edge in an increasingly competitive market, particularly as rising holding costs and planning bottlenecks continue to challenge project viability.
With pilot projects already under way across South-East Queensland, Clements said technology-driven planning would soon become industry standard.
“Inertia LandAI is about smarter, faster development that gives power back to those making the big decisions,” Clements said. “We’re not just saving time—we’re reshaping the way land development starts.”
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