Tamworth Regional Council has turned its development approval times around, putting it in line for NSW Government infrastructure funding it missed out on last year.
The council is one of 44 across the state set to share in up to $73 million under the second round of the Faster Assessments Incentive Program, which rewards councils that speed up development assessments and clear housing backlogs.
Tamworth recorded an average assessment time of 96 days in 2025-26, an improvement of 36 days on the year before.
That brought the council under the 105-day benchmark set under the Minister’s Statement of Expectations.
Tamworth was unsuccessful in the first round, after its average for 2024-25 was above 115 days. It is the only council in the New England North West on the Round Two list.
“Councils that were once taking months longer than the benchmark are now turning their performance around and getting decisions made faster,” said Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully.
“We set clear expectations, backed councils with practical support, and created strong incentives to improve, and communities are now feeling the benefit, with approvals for homes and job-creating projects being made more quickly.”
Successful councils are eligible for grants of up to $3 million to deliver the roads, parks, open spaces, and community facilities their growing populations need.
The amount is based on each council’s housing target or, for regional councils without one, anticipated dwelling growth.
“More homes moving through the system faster means more choice for young people and families who just want a foot in the door, whether that is their first home or their next one,” Mr Scully said.
“We are matching that growth with the infrastructure to support it, because new communities need parks, roads and open space just as much as they need homes.”
The number of successful councils is up from 35 in the first round. Across the state, the successful councils recorded an average assessment time of 78 days, eight days faster than last year.
The biggest turnarounds came from councils that had lagged furthest behind. Sutherland Shire Council cut its average from 177 days to 97 days in 12 months, an 80-day improvement.
Willoughby shaved 88 days off its average, Ballina 59 days, and Queanbeyan-Palerang 55 days.
The results follow the Expert Planner Program, which placed experienced planners in councils to clear backlogs and fix broken processes. Last week, the government also announced free training for up to 950 council development assessment officers through the new NSW Planning Practice Program.
Average development application assessment times have been cut by more than 30 per cent since the election of the Minns Labor Government and the publication of league tables of council performance.
“This is what a government focused on outcomes looks like: real reform, real support, and real results for the people trying to build homes in this state,” Mr Scully said.
The $200 million Faster Assessments Incentive Program supports councils in high and medium growth areas over three years. It is open to 53 councils with housing targets, or implied dwelling demand, above 1,000 homes.
The first round awarded around $54 million to 30 councils, with a further $7 million reserved for five eligible Round One councils whose projects are still being assessed.
NSW recently recorded its highest number of homes under construction in seven years, with more than 80,000 homes currently being built.
“Faster assessments mean more certainty for people wanting to build, renovate or invest, while better performing councils can unlock funding for the infrastructure their growing communities need,” Mr Scully said.
For more information about the Faster Assessments Incentive Program, visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/the-planning-system/housing/faster-assessments-program/faster-assessments-incentive-program
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