Kiama Council has reported a significant improvement in Development Application (DA) assessment timeframes for the first quarter of the 2025-26 financial year.
The Planning and Development report presented at Council's Ordinary Meeting on 18 November revealed that the average DA assessment timeframe has dropped dramatically to 72 days, well ahead of the expected 105-day benchmark.
Council's Director of Strategies and Communities Ed Paterson noted that this achievement reflects ongoing efforts to streamline processes and improve customer service. "Reducing assessment timeframes has been a key priority, and these results show that our strategies and the staff efforts are working," he said.
The report also outlined that to continue improving timeframes Council will enforce stricter requirements for applicants to provide all necessary information and fees within two business days during the pre-lodgement process. Applications which do not meet this requirement will be returned.
Further measures include:
- An internal review of the Community Participation Plan, DA Policy, and associated delegations to further expedite assessments.
- The launch of the new Planning & Development Hub duty service, which has already hosted several community drop-in sessions.
- Continued advocacy by the CEO for changes to the Council League Table calculation method, ensuring that factors such as "stop the clock" periods and court-related delays are excluded from assessment time metrics.
A similar report will be provided for the October-December 2025 period, as Council continues its focus on improving planning efficiency and supporting sustainable development across the municipality.
