A new council-developed system cutting development application assessment times by more than half will be trialled across New South Wales.
The New South Wales Government has provided $2 million dollars in funding to City of Newcastle to support the rollout of its Accelerated Development Application (ADA) system.
The ADA model reduces assessment times for low-risk, decision-ready applications, cutting average turnaround times to less than ten days.
Funding was awarded through the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, which will oversee the development of a framework to support trials at selected councils.
City of Newcastle Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Bath, said the initiative demonstrated how local innovation could support broader sector reform.
“City of Newcastle has developed an innovative process for fast-tracking development applications without compromising quality or increasing staffing numbers,” Bath said.
City of Newcastle Executive Director of Planning and Environment, Michelle Bisson, said the system was built on collaboration and a shared commitment to improving approvals.
“City of Newcastle is leading the way in innovating development assessments to set a state-best benchmark recognised for its efficiencies and broader potential,” Bisson said.
“Since creating and implementing the ADA in 2022, City of Newcastle has been consistently ranked the fastest-performing council in the state for development application determinations.
“For low-risk applications such as minor home renovations, councils can now issue approvals in less than two weeks. This allows planning teams to dedicate more time to complex projects and improve overall turnaround times.”
The ADA system has already been implemented at Muswellbrook Shire Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council through a joint state funding program, demonstrating its scalability.
Since its launch, the system has processed more than 1,300 applications and reduced undetermined development applications by 52 per cent, with many low-risk matters finalised in less than ten days.
The ADA pathway covers ten development types, with most applications relating to residential projects, including alterations and additions, single dwellings and secondary dwellings.
The system improves the quality of lodged information and uses an eligibility checker to determine whether applications are suitable for accelerated assessment.
By improving efficiency, the model frees up staff to focus on more complex proposals, strengthening merit assessment and supporting better development outcomes and timeframes.
