Another 15 Projects Fast-Tracked by NSW Govt

Another 15 housing proposals are being fast-tracked by the Housing Delivery Authority as the latest NSW policy changes gather pace. 

The industry cautiously welcomed the introduction of the authority last year, and it appears that the HDA is living up to its promise. 

The HDA has declared a further 15 of 32 projects it considered in its March meeting to be State Significant Developments. 

The projects referred by the Authority collectively could deliver around 7000 homes. 

Among those fast-tracked are Coronation Property’s 67 and 73-83 Mary Street project at St Peters, a 15,250sq m site which is approved for 205 build-to-rent apartments, an Erskineville masterplan by Brightwell and Payce’s Melrose Park project on Hope Street delivering 342 units. 

Level 33 Property Group’s 300-unit development at 14-24 Loftus Crescent at Homebush and the 27-storey, 1186-unit project at 301 Samantha Riley Drive, as well as Scentre Group’s 1500-apartment project at Brookvale were also referred, after the shopping centre giant signalled its intention to move into residential.

Four projects, three from Aqualand and one from Zurich Australian Insurance Properties were deferred, awaiting further information.

It marks the third tranche of fast-tracked projects and a total of 44 housing development proposals moved to the State Significant Development pathway. 

▲ Coronation Property’s St Peters project also includes 15,000sq m of retail and commercial (pictured above and top).

Since the first meeting, nine projects have also had Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements issued. 

The HDA has received more than 250 expressions of interest from developers looking to fast-track proposals. 

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said that while the Housing Delivery Authority was “not a silver bullet to our housing supply challenges” it was “a step in the right direction”.

Industry proponents agreed, including Urban Taskforce chief executive officer Tom Forrest, who said that “so far, the Housing Delivery Authority is proving to be a major success”.

▲ The six-building Kellyville project is in one of the NSW capital’s Transport Orientated Zones.

The announcement comes at the same time as reports that one council is in hot water for its subpar assessment time performance. 

North Sydney Council received a letter from Minister Scully this month noting that its development assessment performance was “below the stated target and outlined the need to prepare a council-endorsed action plan to improve this performance”.

The council was risking a performance improvement order, Scully said.

North Sydney Council was given an assessment determination target of 115 days. 

The council’s current year-to-date performance sits at 154 days. 

According to the NSW council league table, North Sydney has $1.4 billion of projects—the fourth biggest by development cost after City of Sydney, The Hills Shire and Penrith councils—in the assessment process, and 163 applications lodged.

Only 37 per cent are meeting assessment time expectations, according to the tracker. 

North Sydney Council said its DAs were “large and complex” and that it would aim to employ a short-term contractor to clear the backlog, instigating weekend workdays and pushing to get older DAs determined. 

It would also accelerate its process mapping and planned internal systems improvements, it said.