An extensive list featuring some of NSW’s most controversial development applications — worth more than $26.7 billion — could be fast-tracked by the State Government during the COVID-19 economic crisis.
A submission by Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive Tom Forrest revealed NSW Treasury economic strategy executive director, Michael Gadiel, requested a list of “shovel-ready” projects to be fast-tracked as a way of “getting the NSW economy through the COVID-19 economic recession”.
In his submission, Mr Forrest said the projects had been caught up in the NSW Planning system, resulting in the taskforce being “overwhelmed by submissions” from developers working to get projects fast-tracked.
“There is clearly significant pent-up frustration with the extent of the slowdown in the NSW planning system over the past two years,” Mr Forrest said. “The COVID 19 induced slow-down is an opportunity to push through some important economy saving reforms.
“This is a chance to re-set the mind-set and get our planning system focused on economic growth, employment and housing supply.”
However, the list features some of the states most contentious proposals — including the Australasian Conference Association’s $70 million masterplan for five high-rise apartment towers at the Wahroonga Estate, Mirvac’s $600 million bid to demolish the IBM centre at West Pennant Hills for hundreds of homes, Harry Triguboff’s $750 million Meriton proposal for close to 2000 units at Little Bay Cove and Walker Corporation’s $16 billion plan for 4000 homes in theGreater Macarthu r Growth Area.
Other projects in the submission by the Urban Taskforce include the Waterbrook Bayview Retirement Living Resort and the Bilbergia proposal for 440 apartments in St Leonards.
The controversial fast-track list came just days before Mr Forrest hit out at the Greater Sydney Commission, local councils and Planning Minister Rob Stokes’ “genuine commitment to community consultation” as reasons for development slowdown across the state.
“NSW currently has the slowest DA approval system in Australia,” he said. “We have been calling for a fast-track system for assessments of big projects for six months.”
The Urban Taskforce chief said each development submitted to NSW Treasury “requires specific attention to free up investment and create a pipeline of private sector funded construction”.
“Some are immediately shovel ready and just require a permit to be signed off,” he said.
“Others are multi-billion projects which have not been progressed because they don’t sit in neatly with strategic planning documents.”
The list includes a “three-tier ranking system” for projects that could start within six months, projects which could start on the ground in six to 12 months and “projects which have merit but have been substantially delayed and require some concerted effort to free up to deliver a substantial pipeline of work”.
Mr Forrest said the delayed projects could start on the ground in 12 to 24 months.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the government have an “unparalleled record” of infrastructure delivery in NSW, creating thousands of jobs in roads, rail, schools and hospitals.
“Right now, we are focused on ensuring the public’s safety and also keeping people in jobs and business in business,” he said.
“It is important we don’t lose sight of the future, and part of that is ensuring NSW sprints out of the blocks with projects that will deliver jobs, productivity and prosperity.”
Mr Perrottet announced a $500 million capital works and maintenance stimulus on March 17 to “fast-track economic growth”.
The government confirmed NSW Treasury and other government agencies contacted stakeholders, including the private sector, to establish the strategy for shovel-ready projects.
Planning Minister Rob Stokes said although the government was redirecting resources to prioritise and fast-track the assessment of projects, “this process is not about approving projects without merit”.
“This is about identifying the best projects to promote jobs and opportunity in the right places for the people of NSW, through the same stringent safeguards and community consultation that ordinarily apply,” Mr Stokes told NewsLocal.
UTA’s PROJECTS THAT COULD START WITHIN 6 MONTHS
DEVELOPER - LOCATION
Bilbergia - Burroway Road, Wentworth Point
Broaden Management/Prime Construct - Black Hill
Capital Corporation - Bondi Junction RSL
Capital Corporation - Wine Country Drive Resort
Ceeorse - 163-173 McEvoy Street, Alexandria
Ceeorse - 2C Gladstone St, Newtown
Crown Group - Eastlakes Site
EG Property Advisory - Green-Star Warehouse, Industrial & Logistics Hub
Greenfields Development Company - The Northern Rd, Oran Park
Grocon - Charles St Macquarie St, Parramatta
Harbourland - Citi 88
Holdmark - Macquarie Street, Parramatta
Hunter Land - Buchanan Ridge
Hunter Land - Lochinvar Ridge
Hunter Land - Wollombi Land Holdings
Hyecorp - Heart of Willoughby – Club Willoughby
Hyecorp - Roseville RSL
KWC Capital Partners - The Landmark Shopping Village Hoxton Park
Meriton - Little Bay Cove
PAYCE - Melrose Park
Walker Corporation - Greater Macarthur Growth Area
UTA’s PROJECTS THAT COULD START WITHIN 12 MONTHS
DEVELOPER - LOCATION
Avenor - East Walker Street, North Sydney
Bilbergia - Camellia Town Centre East
Bilbergia - Leeds Street Foreshore, Rhodes
Bilbergia - Oulton Avenue, Rhodes
Bradcorp - North Wilton
Cameron Brae/Governor’s Hill - Wilton
Cameron Brae/Macarthur Developments - Lowes Creek Maryland
Capital Corporation - Lexington
Capital Corporation - Wahroonga Estate (Stage 1)
Capitel Group - Double Bay
Ceeorse - 1-13 Parramatta Road, Annandale
Crown Group - Strathfield South Site
Deicorp Pty Ltd - Five Ways, Crows Nest
Greenfields Development Company - Pondicherry – Oran Park
Erolcene & Claijade - 41 McLaren St, North Sydney
Dural Investment Holdings - Derriwong Road, Old Northern Road, Dural
Grocon - Build-To-Rent- Development of Telstra Exchange
GrowthBuilt / Beverly Hills Owners Assoc - Beverly Hills Town Centre
GrowthBuilt - Cyprus Community Club
John Boyd Properties - Cook Cove
KWC - Western Sydney Town Centre
Holdmark - Burwood Place
Holdmark - Church St, Parramatta
Holdmark - Sheperds Bay Stage A
Holdmark - Talavera Road, Macquarie Park
Legacy Property - Orchard Hills North Planning Proposal
Mirvac - Coonara Avenue, West Pennant Hills
Mirvac - Aspect Industrial Estate, Kemps Creek
Vision Land -t: Clearview Proposal
Walker Corporation - Macquariedale Road (South Appin)
Waterbrook Bayview Pty Ltd - Waterbrook Bayview Retirement Living Resort
Winten - Frenchs Forest Precinct
UTA’s PROJECTS THAT COULD START WITHIN 12-24 MONTHS
DEVELOPER - LOCATION
Bilbergia - Chandos St, St Leonards
Bilbergia - Church St, Lidcombe (Partnered with Land and Housing Corp)
Bilbergia - HP site
Bilbergia - Wilton
Ceeorse - 40-76 William Street, Leichhardt
Crown Group - Five Dock site
Fife Capital - 55 Kirby Street, Rydalmere
Fife Capital - Mamre Precinct Rezoning - Aldington Road, Kemps Creek
Legacy Property - Chatswood
Legacy Property - Macquarie Park
Mecone - FiveEx Services - Alfred St and Alfred Street, Nth Sydney
Mecone (FivEx) - Rockdale Transport Interchange Precinct
Holdmark - Chester Square
Holdmark - George St, Parramatta
Holdmark - Melrose Park
Mirvac Elizabeth - Enterprise Precinct – West, Badgerys Creek
Platino Properties - Lords Road, Leichhardt
Rawson Communities - Box Hill / Vineyard
Rawson Communities - Marsden Park
Top Spring - Canberra Avenue & Holdsworth St, St Leonards South
Trifalga - 23, 25 and 27 Harold Street, North Parramatta
TWT - St Leonards
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