According to the NSW Planning Portal data, in the 2023-2024 financial year, Port Stephens Council processed 587 Development Applications (DAs) valued at over $297.5 million in an average of just 61 days.

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This is significantly faster than the statewide target of 115 days and outperforms other Hunter region councils.

Port Stephens Council’s General Manager Tim Crosdale says improving the DA assessment timeframes has been a key priority for Council and he’s proud of the achievement.

“We’ve put together a dedicated team to fast-track DA lodgements and assessments, and we’re working to integrate our systems with the NSW Planning Portal to make things more efficient, speeding up the whole process,” Mr Crosdale said.

“Our efforts to improve DA processing timeframes have been part of a bigger focus for Council – we know that housing supply, affordability and diversity is impacting many in our community.

“As house prices continue to rise, more people have been forced to look outside of Port Stephens for a place to live.

“We want to ensure everyone has a place to call home – whether they’re a family raising young children, residents looking to downsize as they grow older, or health, aged care or hospitality workers wanting to live close to work,” Mr Crosdale added.

Council recently secured a Federal Government grant of over $600,000 to help support initiatives to increase housing supply, support new housing developments, and strengthen planning skills.
Director Community Futures Steve Peart said this grant will help to implement actions from the recently endorsed Local Housing Strategy.

“We want to deliver initiatives to further reduce red tape, making it quicker and more affordable to have your DA processed through Council,” Mr Peart said.

“We’ll be looking to fast track assessments for small scale developments such as single houses, granny flats and subdivisions, and simplify the application process.

“We’ll also focus on attracting investment in diverse housing options around our town centres by highlighting the benefits of investing in Port Stephens.

“We want everyone to understand how much Port Stephens has to offer and that we’re committed to creating new opportunities for a more inclusive community where everyone can find a place to call home.

“We want to attract investors, drive economic growth and position Port Stephens for a bright and prosperous future,” Mr Peart added.