How Sunderland Is Building the UK’s Smartest City with ANS
Background
Sunderland has a vision to become a connected international city by 2030, cementing itself as an inclusive and dynamic smart city. This vision, set out in the City Plan, aims to create opportunities for all and ensure no one and nowhere is left behind. Working with Boldyn Networks, Sunderland City Council knew that data was integral to its ambition and would be needed to improve connectivity and inform decision making. To make this vision a reality, the city needed a robust design and a trusted partner to deliver a platform capable of supporting its long-term goals.
Challenge
Sunderland needed a scalable platform that could evolve alongside the city as new ideas and technologies emerge. This required a solution that brought together IoT, analytics and governance while supporting compliance and ensuring a great user experience. The goal was to create a foundation that would enable continuous improvement and innovation, helping the smart city to stay at the forefront of technological advancements.
Solution
Makutu, part of ANS, provided business consulting and data services for business intelligence to Sunderland City Council, supporting the Smart City platform and related technical projects. Makutu also introduced a Technical Design Authority role to guide ongoing development. This ensures the platform remains aligned with Sunderland’s vision and continues to deliver scalability, security, compliance, user experience and innovation as technology evolves.
Outcome
Appearing alongside smart city powerhouses from around the world at the beginning of November, Sunderland stood out among global contenders to secure well-deserved acclaim for its digital transformation as the only UK finalist at the World Smart City Awards 2023.
The journey to this remarkable achievement has been marked by visionary initiatives and cutting-edge projects that continue to rapidly shape Sunderland’s smart future.
