Sydney housing approvals: NSW Government greenlight 2435 homes in three months
Sydney has experienced a booming building approval period in the first three months of the year with more than 2400 new homes to be built across the city. SEE HOW LONG YOUR COUNCIL WILL TAKE TO APPROVE YOUR DA HERE.
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Suburbs across Sydney have experienced a COVID-19 building boom in the first three months of the year, with more than double the number of homes approved in comparison to the same time in 2019.
A total of 2435 new homes were given the tick of approval by NSW Planning from January to March this year — compared to just 932 approvals in the first three months of last year.
SEE THE LIST OF APPROVALS IN YOUR REGION BELOW
Despite the massive up-tick in new homes given the greenlight, the state’s building industry has experienced a $500 million drop in the value of development approvals. The total construction value has fallen from $2.56 billion in January to March last year to $2.05 billion this year.
Sydney Central City councils including Blacktown, Cumberland, Parramatta and The Hills saw the highest number of dwelling approved with 1766.
Over in the eastern suburbs, developers had just 270 homes green lit, western Sydney approved 183, the north shore saw 142 homes given the tick, while South Sydney experienced just 74 homes approved.
Urban Development Institute of Australia, NSW chief executive Steve Mann said the low figure for the third quarter of last year could have been a result of the NSW state election caretaker period and “restructure of government agencies.
He said comparing Q3, 2018 to current stats show a 764 dwelling drop in the number of approvals form the NSW Planning panels.
“While there has been an increase in approvals made by the planning panels this isn’t reflective of the broader market which still continues to see a decrease on what was a very low level of approvals in FY19,” he said.
“ABS data released today show that there has been a five per cent decline in broader approvals including those approved by council and local panels — this reflects the continued contraction the industry is experiencing.”
Mr Mann said he was hopeful that the accelerated planning scheme rolled out in response to COVID-19 by the State Government would result in major increases in dwelling approval rates in the completed forth quarter of the last financial year.
“Our industry employs a quarter of the state and it is critical that there is a strong pipeline of jobs,” he said.
The total number of development applications submitted to joint regional planning panels across Sydney dropped by just 11 in the first three months of the year to 59 as the pending coronavirus threat loomed, however, the total number of DAs determined increased by 6 to 41.
Ryde Council holds the title of quickest assessor of development applications in the last quarter at 135 days, closely followed by Cumberland Council which takes 147 to assess proposals. North Sydney council takes 185 days to determine their stance on a DA, while Willoughby and Parramatta take 189 and 220 days respectively.
Hornsby Council now holds the title of slowest assessing councils in the past quarter, taking a whopping 537 days, followed by Blacktown at 510 days, The Hills with 430 days, Campbelltown with 405 days and Bayside Council with 400 days to assess proposals.
The average time it takes from lodgement of an application to a council assessment report is 322 days.
Planning Minister Rob Stokes was contacted for comment but is yet to respond.
REGION-BY-REGION BREAKDOWN:
DWELLING APPROVALS
REGION Q3 2020 Q3 LAST YEAR
Sydney Eastern City 270 233
Sydney Central City 1766 430
Sydney Western City 183 128
Sydney North 142 140
Sydney South 74 1
FASTEST COUNCIL ASSESSMENT TIME
City of Ryde Council 135 days
Cumberland City Council 147 days
North Sydney Council 185 days
Willoughby City Council 189 days
City of Parramatta Council 220 days
SLOWEST COUNCIL ASSESSMENT TIMES
Bayside Council 400 days
Campbelltown City Council 405 days
The Hills Shire Council 430 days
Blacktown City Council 510 days
Hornsby Shire Council 537 days