Hunter North West Central Coast Council development application (DA) assistance
Contact point
Background
Central Coast Council (CCC) historically receives the highest number of development applications (DAs) in the State, with an average of 3,000 applications lodged with Council each year. Due to staff shortages, Council's planning department were experiencing a backlog of DAs, resulting in increased processing times.
NSW Public Works (NSWPW) were engaged by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) to work with Council to assess and process development applications, with the aim to reduce the backlog of DAs in CCC’s system.
Our role
Increasing housing supply in NSW requires new developments to progress efficiently through the planning, assessment, construction and completions process. Given the staff shortages experienced in the planning department at Council, DPHI engaged NSWPW to expedite the assessment of DAs through the planning system.
The engagement was for 2 NSWPW Senior Planners to assist CCC for 2 days per week for a 6-month period. NSWPW worked closely with CCC and DPHI staff to assess DAs against the relevant Acts, Statutory Instruments, Local Environmental Plans and Development Control Plans.
Development assessment reports and supplementary conditions of consent were then referred to delegated Council staff for approval/consideration.
Key facts
- CCC were inundated with a high number of DAs and had limited staff to process the applications.
- DA processing times had significantly increased leading to delays in the construction industry and the delivery of new development such as much needed housing.
- NSWPW was engaged to provide development assessment support and assistance to CCC to reduce DA processing times and delays.
Outcomes
During this short-term engagement NSWPW staff assessed approximately 18 DAs, with most of these applications being for new housing. We assisted with reducing the backlog of older DAs in CCC’s system and subsequently improved Council’s DA processing times.
This planning assistance will enable construction to commence on new residential developments and contribute to the delivery of additional housing in the Local Government Area.
Our assistance also resulted in a positive experience with applicants and members of the local community as it enabled the assessment and determination of DAs which had been on Council’s system for a very long time.