Council Outpaces State Average in DA Processing Times
Published on 22 July 2024
Snowy Valleys Council’s (SVC) average development application (DA) processing times are significantly faster than the New South Wales state average, according to a new league table comparing NSW council DA processing speeds.
SVC’s Interim General Manager Steven Pinnuck expressed his satisfaction with the results, highlighting the staff’s dedication to serving the community.
"In 2023/24, staff assessed 147 applications with an average gross assessment time of 66 days. This is well under the NSW state average of 114 days," Mr. Pinnuck stated.
In addition to outperforming the state average, SVC also demonstrated superior efficiency compared to the Canberra Joint Organisation (CBJO) councils. “The average assessment time for the collective CBJO councils is 130 days," Mr. Pinnuck added.
SVC’s dealings with DAs have attracted criticism from the media and pockets of the community in recent times, and Mr Pinnuck said the data demonstrated that the council is not falling behind in assessment times, despite what people may think.
“Of course, there are always exceptions. For instance, applications that lack sufficient information and detail will extend the assessment process. Additionally, larger and more complex developments will require more time to be thoroughly assessed to ensure all potential impacts are properly examined,” he explained.
“These statistics however do underscore council's commitment to providing timely and effective service to residents.”
SVC has been looking to employ a Principal Planner for some time and Mr Pinnuck concedes that some of the hardest jobs to fill right now include engineers, urban and town planners, certifiers and environmental health professionals.
“The current team is doing an exemplary job but being able to recruit a Principal Planner should further enhance the council's DA processing times,” he explained.
Mr. Pinnuck emphasised that the council's focus remains on continuous improvement and maintaining a high standard of service for the community.
“The Minister for Local Government has indicated that he is keen to work with councils to improve processing times and SVC would welcome any assistance that becomes available,” he said.
"We are proud of our achievements and remain committed to ensuring the highest level of customer service, responsiveness, and development outcomes to support the needs of our residents and local businesses.”
The average assessment days are calculated from the total calendar days between the lodgement date and the determination date of all development applications determined, divided by the total number of development applications determined within the selected time period. Calendar days include weekends and public holidays, and average assessment times include ‘stop the clock days’ where council is waiting on information from applicants.
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