Accelerated Assessment Program misses the regions

The NSW Planning System Acceleration Program is welcomed as a means to hasten the assessment of major projects and planning proposals; unfortunately, the criteria of the program constrain the number of eligible projects and only 5 residential projects have been included across the state. The low number of regional projects is particularly disappointing. Of the 80 projects in the 4 tranches released so far, only 5 of those were in the Hunter and 3 in Central Coast. UDIA is advocating for the inclusion of more regional and residential projects in the Program.

 

Which Hunter and Central Coast projects have been included in the Planning System Acceleration Program so far?

 

  Tranche 1 Tranche 2 Tranche 3 Tranche 4 Totals
All Residential
NSW 24 24 19 13 80

5
Hunter 1

 

UoN Honeysuckle Campus

 1

 

Honeysuckle – Horizon Lee 5

 3

 

Bulga coal project

 

Brandy Hill quarry expansion project

 

Cockle Creek (Lake Macquarie) planning proposal (residential and commercial)

 

 0 5 2
Central Coast 1

 

Warnervale Public School

 0 2

 

Mannering and Chain Valley coal project

 

Affordable housing at 56 Beane St Gosford

 0 3 1

 

A central mailbox at DPIE has been set up to receive ongoing issues and additional project proposals for fast track consideration.

 

The criteria for project consideration are:

  • Jobs – does the project create jobs during construction and ongoing?
  • Timing

– can a decision on the project be made quickly?

– for DAs, can the project commence within six months?

– for planning proposals, can the project proceed to DA within six months?

  • Public benefit – can the project deliver or support public benefits (e.g affordable housing or new public space and parklands)?

 

Council Accelerated Assessment Program

DPIE is now offering to work with councils to adapt the Planning System Acceleration Program to proposals in individual LGAs. UDIA understands that most of the councils in the regions have expressed interest in engaging with DPIE in this area. UDIA has raised concern that councils may lack the resources to effectively implement an acceleration program without undermining existing work or disadvantaging projects that might fall outside the acceleration criteria. We welcome DPIE’s acknowledgment that councils need additional support.