Australian states to fast-track 10,900 houses
Sydney (10 June)
The New South Wales (NSW) Government has agreed to fast-track consents for 8,400 homes across 27 developments, while the Queensland Government has approved 2,500 fast-tracked homes, to meet housing targets.
The NSW Government has declared three regional and 24 Sydney-based projects as State Significant Developments (SSD) – which shifts planning authority away from local councils – Planning Minister Paul Scully said in a statement on 10 June.
NSW’s government generally uses SSDs to fast-track economically significant projects, including mines, large housing developments, and data centres.
It aims to increase Greater Sydney’s housing supply by 263,400 dwellings – relative to July 2024 levels – by June 2029. But authorities have only approved 93,204 units for development and 54,979 units for construction in the city since July 2024.
The Queensland Government has also approved the 2,500-unit Lakesview development on the Gold Coast, it said on 10 June.
Queensland’s government fast-tracked the project through its State Facilitated Development (SFD) pathway, which operates similarly to NSW’s SSD pathway. It also asked Lakesview’s developer – Walker Group – to replace 550 planned affordable units at the site with market-rate housing on 18 May.
The Queensland Government’s Lakesview approval comes under three months after it amended its SFD project eligibility criteria to remove affordable housing requirements and require developers to secure local government support.
“[Affordable housing] mandates were holding up much-needed housing supply and were making developments unviable,” State Development Minister Jarrod Bleijie said on 10 June. “We need projects to get out of the ground and we need homes delivered for Queenslanders,” Bleijie added.
Queensland’s local governments opposed the SFD pathway’s lack of community input in the years leading up to the reforms. The reforms support meaningful local participation in planning, Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Alison Smith said on 20 March.
Queensland’s SFD project eligibility changes come during a housing shortage. People spent an average of 28.3 months on the state’s social housing waitlist in 2025, up from 27.1 months over the previous year.
Queensland’s government aims to build one million new homes, including 53,500 social and community homes, by 2044.
By Avinash Govind