NSW government slashes red tape for social housing projects

Red tape will be urgently slashed in a bid to address the housing crisis in NSW, with agencies given greater powers to approve their own developments instead of going through councils.

Red tape will be urgently slashed in a bid to address the housing crisis in NSW, with agencies given greater powers to approve their own developments instead of going through councils.

The Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) and the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) will both get greater powers to approve their own projects — sidelining councils — with the two bodies now able to green-light developments of up to 75 homes, up from 60.

The bodies will also be able to approve projects three storeys high, up from two.

Landcom, the NSW government-owned commercial housing provider, will also get the same self-assessment powers, as well as now being able to lodge projects as “state ­significant developments” if they’re worth over $30m and are at least 50 per cent affordable housing.

Planning Minister Paul ­Scully said the moves would take the burden off councils under the pump with a lack of resources, but local authorities would still be able to weigh in on developments in their local areas.

Planning Minister Paul Scully wants to cut red tape holding up affordable housing. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“We’ve revised the planning permissions to allow LAHC and Landcom to build social and affordable housing more quickly, but without shortcuts on good housing design and amenity,” he said.

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the allocation of responsibility from councils to the agencies would help speed up building new homes.

“One of the many barriers to delivering the social and housing affordability we need is the planning system,” she said.

“Resolving that is a priority.”

LAHC chief executive Simon Newport said the changes would create “an ­express lane on a freeway for development application approvals for social and affordable housing” but would still make sure “the right road rules are in place, such as good design and amenity”.