Housing Crisis: 10 Sydney Councils Speeding Up Approvals, 10 Lagging Behind

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Mick
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Housing Crisis

As Australia struggles to meet the ambitious goal of building 1.2 million homes by 2029, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) has pointed to underperforming councils as a significant barrier. In a new report released this week, the BCA urges the government to name and shame councils that are lagging behind in approval processes and exacerbating the national housing crisis.

In July 2024, NSW launched an online report card system to hold councils accountable for delays in Development Application (DA) approvals. However, NSW remains the only state with such transparency. The BCA’s new It’s Time to Say Yes to Housing report calls for this system to be expanded nationwide. It recommends publishing council performance data in every state and territory in Australia to transparently monitor DA approval times, from lodgement through to construction approval, placing pressure on sluggish councils to expedite their approvals process.

The council league tables reveal significant disparities in approval times across Greater Sydney, as highlighted in a recent report by leading Sydney renovation firm Nouvelle. The report showcases the 10 slowest and fastest Sydney councils in for DA approvals for renovations and new builds over the last three years between 2021 and 2024, exposing serious inefficiencies that are impacting the housing supply.

Nouvelle’s findings reveal that Wollondilly is the fastest council in Greater Sydney, with homeowners waiting on average 61 days for DA approval, while the Georges River council comes in slowest with an average 289-day wait for DA approvals.

10 Fastest Greater Sydney Councils for DA Approvals (lodgement plus assessment times) in 2024

  1. Wollondilly – Averaging 61 days for approval
  2. Blacktown – Averaging 78 days for approval
  3. Camden – Averaging 81 days for approval
  4. Lane Cove – Averaging 88 days for approval
  5. Hornsby – Averaging 95 days for approval
  6. Fairfield – Averaging 98 days for approval
  7. Penrith – Averaging 98 days for approval
  8. Northern Beaches – Averaging 113 days for approval
  9. The Hills – Averaging 116 days for approval
  10. Blue Mountains – Averaging 117 days for approval

10 Slowest Greater Sydney Councils for DA Approvals (lodgement plus assessment times) in 2024

  1. Woollahra – Averaging 184 days for approval
  2. Strathfield – Averaging 186 days for approval
  3. Bayside- Averaging 192 days for approval
  4. Parramatta – Averaging 215 days for approval
  5. Liverpool – Averaging 215 days for approval
  6. Hunters Hill – Averaging 216 days for approval
  7. Willoughby – Averaging 238 days for approval
  8. Sutherland – Averaging 258 days for approval
  9. North Sydney – Averaging 266 days for approval
  10. Georges River- Averaging 289 days for approval

FY 2023–2024

FY 2023–2024
Position Council Name Average Lodgement Days Average Assessment Days Total Days No. of Applications Lodged No. of Applications Assessed
1 Wollondilly 8 53 61 517 515
2 Blacktown 13 65 78 888 909
3 Camden 6 75 81 324 276
4 Lane Cove 22 66 88 71 65
5 Hornsby 11 84 95 308 246
6 Fairfield 10 88 98 175 151
7 Penrith 6 92 98 298 221
8 Northern Beaches 12 101 113 822 710
9 The Hills 14 102 116 750 749
10 Blue Mountains 36 81 117 293 249
11 Inner West 8 113 121 626 459
12 Mosman 16 118 134 117 99
13 Canterbury-Bankstown 21 126 147 403 388
14 Campbelltown 5 148 153 208 148
15 Waverley 22 131 153 267 194
16 Cumberland 30 124 154 390 314
17 Sydney 9 150 159 326 266
18 Hawkesbury 38 122 160 200 194
19 Canada Bay 12 150 162 138 98
20 Randwick 5 157 162 305 274
21 Ku-ring-gai 18 147 165 288 245
22 Ryde 18 159 177 178 165
23 Burwood 9 172 181 39 35
24 Woollahra 8 176 184 326 253
25 Strathfield 17 169 186 70 69
26 Bayside 16 176 192 200 171
27 Liverpool 20 195 215 325 413
28 Parramatta 31 184 215 268 217
29 Hunters Hill 18 198 216 69 55
30 Willoughby 19 219 238 161 104
31 Sutherland 16 242 258 412 383
32 North Sydney 17 249 266 115 78
33 Georges River 30 259 289 183 146

Source: NSW Planning Department

The in-depth analysis underscores the varying performance levels of local councils and their significant impact on home renovations in Greater Sydney. Slow council approval times can have a profound impact on home renovations, affecting not just the timeline but hiking up costs and negatively affecting the homeowner experience.

The report also looks at the factors that can affect DA approval times, including application volume, differing application and approval processes between councils and the complexity of individual projects.

“Home renovations are stressful enough without the added burden of lengthy DA approvals. Councils that streamline their approval processes not only help homeowners achieve their dreams faster, but help them keep costs down by avoiding ever-rising material and trade costs,” said Mike Turner, managing director at Nouvelle.

“Homeowners planning a renovation, such as a kitchen or bathroom overhaul, should anticipate a timeline of three to five months from sketch to approval. If DA approval is required for a project that includes an addition, demolition or a major change to the floor plan, they should allow longer – up to nine and half months’ more if they live in an area like North Sydney or Georges River.

“Involving a renovation professional early in the process who is not only well-versed in spatial design and project management, but the intricacies of the council approvals process, is crucial. Handling a major renovation yourself can seem like a smart way to save money, but if you don’t have the necessary experience, it can quickly result in project delays, budget blowouts and time-consuming backwards and forwards with council,” he says.

Read the full report on the fastest and slowest Sydney councils for DA approvals here.

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