9 Chartered Accountants Audit, Taxation and SMSF services for SMEs and Individuals. We provide support, business advice and strategy on accounting, taxation and self-managed super funds. FAST • RELIABLE • PERSONAL • PROACTIVE www.harwoods.com.au | 02 4365 3142 Suite 3.29 Platinum West 4 Ilya Ave, Erina NSW 2250 B U S I N E S S N E W S FOLLOWING CCBR’S REPORT on Development Approval delays at Central Coast Council last month Craig Jennion, Executive Director – Hunter of the Housing Industry Association has responded. Mr Jennion says, “For a number of years HIA members have advised of significant delays when lodging Central Coast Council development applications via the Planning Portal”. “HIA is aware that there appears to be ongoing technical concerns with the new Planning Portal, while others appear to be Council resourcing and technology related”. “HIA is very much aware of the circumstances that the Council finds itself financially and whilst sympathetic HIA had expected, and hoped, to see an improvement in these ongoing pressures in 2022. It is clear that Council resources are not appropriate considering the high number of development approvals council currently has outstanding”. “HIA is increasingly concerned that industry and homeowners are not able to obtain development approvals in a timely fashion. The delays in determining DAs, which regularly exceeds 6 months, is creating significant anxiety for industry”. “Numerous NSW Department of Planning documents state that ‘the DA process is a key link in the housing supply chain and impacts on how efficiently new housing can be delivered to the market’. In recognition of this, the previous Premier Gladys Berejiklian set a priority in 2017 for faster housing approvals, with a target of 90 per cent of housing approvals to be determined within 40 days. It is not the experience of HIA members that these targets are currently being met”. “With both development applications and approvals within the LGA remaining above pre-pandemic levels HIA believes that one of the greatest threats to industry is councils ability to issue determinations”. “The performance of council and the subsequent delays is placing considerable stress on both builders and homeowners resulting in substantial increases in the cost of construction”. “The pressure being placed on customers to wait longer for work to start, and to manage increasing prices for labour and materials, is not a welcome situation. Getting a home built on time and on budget must be a priority for everyone – builders, customers, banks and most importantly on the Central Coast, council”. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 HIA responds to DA delays The initial Newcastle-Sydney section of a proposed 250kmh bullet train system connecting Melbourne to Sydney and Brisbane is to move ahead with the Federal Government establishing a high-speed rail authority. The project will receive $500 million of federal government backing, as part of its first budget, for corridor planning and early works If realised, the Newcastle-to-Sydney stage will slash travel times from more than 2.5 hours to 45 minutes. Sydney to Gosford would take half an hour. The line would include stops on the Central Coast, Wyong and Gosford. It is expected to take eight years to construct and cost more than $20 billion. The authority will also plan for fast trains connecting Brisbane and Melbourne with stops in Canberra, Sydney and regional centres. The entire 1750km railway project, which Feds kick in $500 million for SydneyNewcastle fast train CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW OCTOBER 2022
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI3ODI1