The first stage of the restoration of the Newcastle Ocean Baths will commence next year and promises to be one of a number of exciting projects the City of Newcastle is leading as it looks to capitalise on the past few years of record development and population growth.
By the time the baths and later the pavilion are restored, the final cost is likely to leave little change from $20 million. Almost half this cost will come from the sale of several buildings the council unanimously agreed to sell when it moved its administration centre to Newcastle West.
Readers may be unaware that the NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes has agreed to contribute $3 million towards the cost of restoring the Newcastle Ocean Baths. But the money comes with a catch. That is, by the end of June, City of Newcastle must have reduced the time it takes to assess development applications by 20 per cent.
Fortunately, a restructure of the city's planning team 18 months ago places this financially lucrative carrot within reach.
In late 2018, City of Newcastle formed a new planning super department with the goal of significantly improving our end-to-end development work for the city.
Measurable outputs of the team included reducing DA processing times to achieve quality urban design outcomes and improving the experience of customers.
So far, DA processing and net assessment times have improved by almost 40 per cent, down from 63 days in November 2018 to 39 days in October 2020.
Also achieved is a 50 per cent reduction in the number of undetermined DAs, down from 505 in November 2018 to 251 in October 2020, and a 78 per cent reduction in the number of outstanding building and engineering referrals. When the global pandemic hit in March, and it became clear that the national and local economies were headed for recession, City of Newcastle expected DA applications to reduce. Surprisingly the exact opposite occurred, with the number of DA applications jumping by 13 per cent, and are still rising. Despite the rise in DAs lodged, the number City of Newcastle has determined has improved by 30 per cent.
With faster turnaround times, customers are happier. In fact, a recent customer survey showed over 80 per cent of customers are satisfied or very satisfied, which has improved confidence in the role City of Newcastle plays in aiding new development.
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Despite worldwide headlines of economic downturn, Newcastle is powering on. DA data shows there is an increasing appetite for investment in both the CBD and suburbs.
On the residential front, local builders and tradespeople are highlighting that because DAs are being processed by a planning super team in a timely manner, they can then also build and deliver more smaller developments such as pools, carports, garages and secondary dwellings. Applicants, architects and planners are also reporting a more collaborative relationship with the city and enjoying more responsive service during the DA process.
This year, the City of Newcastle has also made significant digital advancements in the enhancement of planning services, adding further value to customer interactions.
A 2D mapping tool of the CBD area has been developed to provide customers with access to DA information linking directly to the City of Newcastle's DA tracker. Prior to this, there was no visual representation of development data within the LGA. Residents and customers had to search individual properties or streets to obtain a list of developments in a specific area, which was not convenient or user-friendly.
City of Newcastle encourages environmentally sensitive urban development that provides employment and homes for the thousands of people choosing to make Newcastle their new home. Despite COVID-19, development this year will stimulate the local economy by about $1.4 billion and support approximately 3350 new jobs, bringing a much-needed boost to the effects of the pandemic-induced economic slowdown. The City's Local Housing Strategy was approved last month which sets the strategic direction and guides provision for housing over a 20-year period. The strategy explores planning for affordable housing in Newcastle, forecasts, housing trends, and opportunities to best support greater choice, which is consistent with our Local Strategic Planning Statement adopted earlier this year. City of Newcastle staff are also working with the State Government to progress planning for catalyst areas identified in the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan, including Broadmeadow and the City Centre.
While development both large and small can be a contentious topic, I'm confident that our community appreciate the transformation of Newcastle happening before their eyes and the critical role development is playing in making this possible.
Michelle Bisson is City of Newcatle's manager regulatory planning and assessment.
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