Shock data: How the Gold Coast building industry rode the wave to recovery from COVID
New research shows the Gold Coast’s development industry is booming, with the number of development applications and building approvals rising sharply. SEE THE FIGURES >>>
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NEW research shows the Gold Coast’s development industry is in recovery after Covid-19, with development applications on track to tip those recorded in the 2016-17 financial year.
Council planning chair Cameron Caldwell has alerted councillors to the positive data from the city’s latest development activity report, which confirms a likely record return to the number of projects to be assessed by officers.
The Bulletin’s Build Queensland series has tracked how reforms can open up and fast-track jobs, given 26,000 people across the Coast are without work, significantly higher than the jobless rate during the global financial crisis.
The council development activity report for the first quarter of 2021 reveals:
● Development applications up 17.5 per cent on the same quarter in 2020;
● Building approvals up 23.8 per cent on 2020;
● Plumbing approvals up 21.2 per cent on 2020;
● Planning and Environment Court appeals are tracking at well less than 1 per cent of decisions made.
By comparison, a development activity report released in July last year showed buildings approvals remained high but slightly below the 2018-19 numbers.
Approvals for plumbing and building at that point were strong yet remained only in the high single-digit category.
Cr Caldwell told the Bulletin: “Council welcomes the strong volumes of development activity for the first quarter of 2021. The increase in building and plumbing approvals indicate that the upswing in construction activity continues.
“Positive sentiment in the property market means developers are looking to activate approvals and deliver housing product.”
Cr Caldwell said the strong new application data showed the amount of confidence in the development sector as the city emerged from Covid.
“Whilst we continue to closely monitor development activity, there is cautious optimism that current trends will continue,” he said.
The planning chair acknowledged the interest from interstate buyers in moving to the Coast where there has been less Covid restrictions and a warm outdoor lifestyle compared to lockdowns down south.
“The Gold Coast is an attractive place to live, work and play which supports a healthy property and construction industry,” he said.
“Construction remains an important pillar of the local economy — cranes in the sky means jobs on the ground.”
Councillors last August backed recommendations from officers to help the construction and development industry recover from Covid-19.
“The new and existing initiatives are aimed at maintaining high levels of customer service and delivering faster, more efficient assessment of development applications, particularly for small scale applications,” an officer’s report says.
The key reforms included streamlining assessment and decision-making for small-scale applications compliant with the City Plan.
Councillors decided not to waiver a raft of assessment fees, rather adopt initiatives like a faster assessment for a request to change for a development approval.
They also agreed to maintaining council’s free planning advisory service at the planning counter.
The plans were designed to help “mums and dads through to larger corporations as a result of the economic impact generated by the Covid-19 pandemic”.
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