MidCoast Council has been taking big steps to make it easier and faster to build homes in the region, with progress discussed at this week's Council meeting.
Council has been addressing the recommendations identified in the 2023 Housing Barriers Review. The review identified problems that slow down the building process and offered ways to fix them. Council is working hard to address delays, update systems, and help the community understand how housing approvals work.
Progress to date includes:
- A new "fast-track" team which speeds up the approval of simple development applications.
- A new draft Local Environmental Plan (LEP) has been prepared and is with the State Government for approval. Planning assessments are currently done using three different LEPs from the previous Council areas pre-merger. Having one LEP will help Council staff work more efficiently. A similar harmonisation of systems has been done with the computer interface used.
- Council has streamlined working with the NSW Planning Portal, making it easier for people to submit their plans.
What's coming next:
- Council is working on a new local approvals policy to outline those activities described under Section 68 of the Local Government Act, which may be carried out without the approval of Council.
- Staff are improving how they work together to make the process faster and simpler.
- Information brochures have been made to help the community better understand how planning works in NSW and what Council's role is.
Council's Director of Liveable Communities, Paul De Szell explained that these changes will help people get clear answers faster, reduce wait times, and make it easier to build housing across the MidCoast.
"This is about making it easier for our community to use the planning system at the local level," said Mr De Szell.
"We're making sure the rules are clear, the systems work, and that people can build homes without facing long delays."
These efforts also support local businesses and help Council deliver better service to the community.
