NSW stands up agency to speed up approvals
Sydney (2 July)
The New South Wales (NSW) Government has created the Development Coordination Agency (DCA) to speed up project approval times by centralising Government responses to planning authorities.
The DCA will provide advice to local planning authorities on behalf of 22 state-level agencies, the Government said on 1 July. It will support local councils and the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure (DPHI) to assess development applications.
NSW Government agencies currently provide advice to planners on a centralised basis, which can lead to project delays. “When a development application is referred to multiple state agencies for advice, each additional referral can add around 100 days to the assessment process,” according to the Government.
The NSW Government has instructed the DCA to advise planners about transport, heritage, environmental, and mining issues. The agency will also help local government authorities develop planning policies and rezoning plans.
NSW’s government aims to increase Greater Sydney’s housing supply by 263,400 dwellings – relative to July 2024 levels – by June 2029. Authorities have approved 103,326 units for development and 60,025 units for construction in the city since July 2024.
NSW planners have also increased Sydney-based housing development approvals since early 2026. They approved development applications for 11,158 dwellings in Greater Sydney over January-March 2026, up 4.5% on the year, largely because of two mixed residential and commercial projects in Marrickville and Cumberland.
Regulators approved another 10,132 dwellings for development in May 2026, up from 3,480 dwellings in May 2025, DPHI data show.
By Avinash Govind