Of the 4808 building approvals in the Hunter Valley last year, 46 were in the Dungog Shire.

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In 2023, the number of building approvals in Dungog Shire was 51.

Dungog Shire Council said that the cost-of-living crisis and rising costs and interest rates were to blame.

“The rising costs of materials, services, and land have had an impact on the number of development applications we are seeing,” a Council spokesperson said.

“It’s not surprising DAs have not returned to the rates we were experiencing before COVID.

“With the recent announcement of the RBA lowering interest rates, we may see DAs for new housing and renovations increase in the next financial year.”

The complex nature of the NSW Planning system is another possible reason for the drop.

There are many costs involved in getting a DA approved such as consultancy fees, hiring a town planner, and safety checks on the property.

Then if the application gets conditionally approved, landowners may have to pay thousands of dollars to meet those conditions.

The council spokesperson acknowledged these difficulties.

“To get our local planning system in check with future demand for housing and DAs, Council has recently secured over $2 million in grant funding to undertake necessary strategic planning framework for future growth and development.”

By Joseph RICHARDS