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