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{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationDelivering more with One House One Approval
Delivering more with One House One Approval
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“One of the key challenges is the complex approval system that leads to protracted approval timeframes, higher approval costs and negatively impacted housing affordability, said Craig Jennion, HIA Hunter Executive Director.
The NSW government launched in 2024 a council league table to monitor performance of development application lodgement and determination.
“Pleasingly in the past financial year 9 of the 11 councils across the Hunter and Central Coast, are lodging development applications within the league tables phase 1 goal of 14 days.
“Maitland City Council in particular is applauded for being the leading council across the state, with an average lodgement of 2 days, performing twice as quick as the next best group of councils.
“The league table also measures development assessment times, with the fastest councils in the Hunter being Singleton (average of 55 days), followed closely by Port Stephens Council (57 days) for the 2024-25 financial year.
“In addition to ensuring closer scrutiny and accountability the league table provides an incentive for councils to adopt best practices and improve services. An example of this is the Accelerated Development Applications initiative that the City of Newcastle has developed. They are commended for developing a faster, less bureaucratic approvals process for straightforward developments, saving time and council resources.
“Despite this there is much more that can be done to address the housing crisis. A solution to this is the "One House One Approval" (OHOA) initiative developed by the HIA.
“OHOA advocates for a single, unified approval process for building a new house on residential land—replacing the current fragmented system where separate planning and building approvals are often required.
“Whilst NSWs complying development process is a partial step toward OHOA, the fact that such a large percentage of approvals are diverted to councils for a traditional development assessment means many households still face a lengthy complex approval process.
“Additional support is needed to see more councils, who have the desire, look at alternative approaches to see single dwellings approved closer to the 40 day statutory time period. Having assessment goals like we do that can be up to average of 115 days post lodgement via the league tables is simply not fast enough.
“In addition to amending the assessment process to ensure single dwellings on residential land exempt or code assessable, HIA would like to see councils lean further into AI & private certification (delegated assessments) to reduce approval delays further.
“We need comprehensive reform and One House One Approval can be a key driver to unlocking the housing that Australia desperately needs by simplifying and accelerating the building approval process for single-dwelling homes” concluded Mr Jennion.
View the One House One Approval report
For more information please contact:
Craig Jennion
Executive Director - Hunter
P: (02) 4014 2000
For social media commentary from Craig Jennion: HIA Hunter Twitter
M: 0414 872 090
E: c.jennion@hia.com.au
NSW Heritage Strategy Submission: Aligning Heritage and Housing for Sustainable Growth
HIA supports the NSW Government’s draft Heritage Strategy, advocating for better alignment between heritage and planning systems to support new housing development and sustainable growth across the state.
Delivering more with One House One Approval
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