REINSW CEO Tim McKibbin says approval delays are one of the major causes of the housing crisis and the REINSW has for years called for reforms to the planning process.
“We have previously called for Councils to prescribe the types of developments they are looking for so developers can design compliant projects accordingly, which can then be approved without delay,” Mr McKibbin says.
“The NSW Government’s Housing Pattern Book initiative follows a similar framework, but for consumers. If the home is pre-approved because it’s a Government-endorsed design, then Councils should have to provide an automatic approval.
“In addition to improvements in approval timeframes, this initiative also has the potential to make better use of available land, as well as reducing construction schedules, given builders will gain efficiencies through the creation of the same homes.
“Further, it makes sense to focus these new homes in locations close to public transport and employment, including those identified in the Transit Oriented Development program, as it potentially means commute times will be reduced, which is good for peoples’ health, relationships and productivity.
At a local level, the move has been welcomed by a number of property professionals, including The Agency’s Suzi Bryant.
“The NSW Government’s Pattern Book initiative is designed to cut development application [DA] processing times to just 10 days for eligible projects”. she said.
“While it wouldn’t apply to architecturally designed homes, it could significantly assist Wingecarribee Shire in managing its current DA load. Right now, the average DA takes 239 days to process, largely due to a backlog built up while the council was under administration.”
“Introducing a Pattern Book for certain development types would help clear this backlog and speed up processing times across the board which would be good for everyone!” Suzi commented.
REINSW’s Tim McKibbin: “With any new housing supply initiative, there are concerns to be addressed,” he says. “For instance, there is always the potential for local Council politics to create hurdles, particularly if there are NIMBY voices to appease. “Additionally, consumers today require choice, so it will be interesting to understand the consequences of modifications to the design on the approval process.
“These home designs might be great solutions for greenfield sites but the opportunities to implement them in infill locations are not as abundant. “On the whole though, this is a positive step in addressing the housing supply challenge. “ he commented.
With a number of developments in the Wingecarribee area either underway or planned, it is hoped that the State Government’s initiative proves successful in reducing DA timeframes.
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