In a bid to boost housing construction and supply in NSW the state government has established a new Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) designed to lead a new development pathway that will see regional Councils bypassed by developers of approved residential “State Significant Development” projects valued at more than $30 million.
The HDA was established under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (1979), with members including Simon Draper, Secretary of the Premier’s Department; Kiersten Fishburn, Secretary of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure; and Tom Gellibrand, CEO of Infrastructure NSW.
In addition, the NSW Government has established the NSW Housing Taskforce to address the housing crisis and meet Housing Accord targets to deliver 377,000 new homes across the state over the five years to 2029, under the National Housing Accord.
To achieve this target, the NSW Government has stated an additional 25,000 homes need to be constructed every year across the state, with the Taskforce focused on making sure housing moves quickly and smoothly through the planning system.
Since the Housing Taskforce was established in August 2024, it has facilitated the progress of more than 11,000 applications for new homes.
Since the launch of the Housing Delivery Authority in December 2024, from January 8, developers can now submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) to have their development applications declared as ‘State Significant Development’ (SSD).
The HDA is a state-led approval pathway that seeks to streamline approval and delivery of major housing proposals by removing local councils from the approval process.
The Authority will meet monthly to consider proposals against the EOI criteria and make recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces who will declare a proposal SSD or SSD and concurrent site rezoning.
The EOI process will apply to major residential development across the State that meets the criteria, however, it will not include DAs already lodged through another pathway.
Clarence Valley Council’s General Manager, Laura Black said the HDA pathway does not replace the existing ‘regionally significant development’ pathway, where development applications are assessed by Clarence Valley Council’s professional staff and determined by the Northern Regional Planning Panel.
“From 8 January 2025, applicants may make an EoI to have their development applications declared as ‘State Significant Development’, where they are new housing projects over $30 million (on average 40 or more homes) in regional NSW,” she said.
“The HDA pathway also includes an option where a State Significant Development application can be considered with a concurrent rezoning proposal.
“The HDA’s EoI process includes criteria that focuses on multi-dwelling housing, residential flat buildings, and shop-top housing delivery, including a contribution to affordable housing supply, and limits proposals to locations that are well-serviced by infrastructure and free from environmental hazards and constraints, including flood and bushfire prone areas.
“This means that subject to a proposal being accepted into the HDA pathway, Clarence Valley Council would have no role in assessment or determination of the State Significant Development application.”
For more information on the HDA visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov. au/policy-and-legislation/housing/ housing-delivery-authority.
This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 15 January 2025.
