The NSW Labor government have announced new DA withdrawal guidelines for councils in an attempt to ‘boost housing supply’.
In a media release last week, the office of Planning Minister, Paul Scully, said, ‘Under the guidelines, councils will be required to accelerate DA assessment timeframes, and not request unnecessary information or unnecessarily ask applicants to withdraw DA proposals’.
‘The guidelines also require councils to direct adequate resources to their planning and assessment teams to fast-track DA assessments.
‘National Housing Accord data indicates the state has a projected housing construction shortfall of 376,000 homes over five years’.
The Echo asked Scully’s office if these new guidelines will come with additional funding to councils to meet this requirement.
No additional funds
His office replied, ‘The guidelines are not supported with additional funding, however we are supporting council with programs such as the Strong Start Cadetship which provides grant funding to support apprentice planners. Councils involved are Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Lismore and Tweed’.
The Echo also asked, ‘What measures are in place to assure that fast-tracking developments won’t lead to substandard building (that can put lives at risk), and the removal of high value and rare ecological land (given NSW has poor records in land clearing)’.
They replied, ‘All development is subject to determination by the relevant consent authority’.
‘Fast-tracked assessments reach the point of decision more quickly but remain subject to the same rigorous and comprehensive measures of quality and environmental protection’.
Meanwhile, the peak body representing NSW councils rejected the allegations that councils are responsible for the withdrawal of development applications.
President of Local Government NSW, Darriea Turley, said in a media release, ‘To play the blame game with councils in the firing line is simplistic and disingenuous’.
‘In fact, the NSW government’s own official housing supply report points to shortages of construction material and labour, rising interest rates, and falling housing prices as the drivers of the decline in residential building approvals’.
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