Council-developed system in NSW slashes DA approval times by 50%

A new development application (DA) approval process at the City Of Newcastle has seen the council slash DA approval times by more than 50%.

Funded to the tune of $2 million by the NSW Government, the Accelerated Development Application (ADA) system significantly reduces assessment times for low-risk, decision-ready development applications, cutting the average turnaround to less than 10 days.

The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) awarded City of Newcastle the $2 million in funding to develop a framework for the rollout of the ADA model, beginning with a trial phase at several councils seeking to speed up determination of DAs.

City of Newcastle’s Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Bath said the NSW Government was to be congratulated for looking to his council for advice on how to help other councils whose DA processing times are just too slow.

“City of Newcastle has developed an innovative process for fast-tracking determination times for DAs without compromising quality or increasing staffing numbers,” he said.

Executive Director of Planning and Environment Michelle Bisson said the program’s success is built on collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to improving the development approval process.

“City of Newcastle is leading the way in innovating development assessments to set a state-best benchmark recognised by the NSW Government for its efficiencies and broader potential,” she said. “Since creating and implementing the ADA in 2022, City of Newcastle has been consistently ranked the fastest-performing council in the state for DA determinations.

“For low-risk applications such as minor home renovations, councils can now issue approvals in less than two weeks. The system allows planning teams to dedicate more time to complex projects, improving overall turnaround times.

“The ADA system has already been successfully implemented at Muswellbrook Shire Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council through a $1 million joint grant from the NSW Government, demonstrating its scalability and impact.

“We’re proud to see ADA recognised as a model for reform across NSW, reflecting the hard work and innovation of our planning team and the benefits it brings to applicants, councils, and communities.”

Since its launch in 2022, City of Newcastle’s ADA system has processed more than 1300 applications. The ADA pathway covers 10 types of developments. Most applications determined are residential, including alterations and additions, single dwellings and secondary dwellings.

The system improves the quality of information lodged and uses an eligibility checker to quickly determine if an application can be assessed through ADA.

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