The NSW Government has announced it will invest close to half a million dollars for a pilot program in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire exploring a new way to cut red tape and speed up housing approvals via a groundwater bore network.
The $472,000 Sutherland–Kirrawee Groundwater Investigation Pilot is a new initiative aimed at accelerating housing supply across the two suburbs.
New developments that require excavation such as residential buildings with basement car parks often need dewatering, which is the removal of groundwater before, during, and after construction. This can slow down development applications because up to three months of groundwater data is required before a DA can be lodged.
The Pilot aims to speed up this process by setting up a local network of 20 to 30 groundwater monitoring bores to collect the data builders need. Data will be made publicly available, improving efficiency in the development application process and reducing costs.
“Through this pilot we’re doing the work, making reliable groundwater data readily available so builders can get on with building much needed homes sooner,” said Minister for Planning and Public Space, Paul Scully.
“That means faster approvals, more certainty and more homes delivered in an area of Sydney we know is growing quickly.”
The bore network will collect data for up to three years, building a dataset that can potentially support faster approvals and better planning well into the future.
The initiative is being led by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and funded by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI).
“I don’t want a single project held up by a process that could be streamlined. This pilot is a practical example of how we’re reducing delays and helping get more homes built sooner,” said Minister for Housing and Water, Rose Jackson.
“We’re doing the groundwork upfront, potentially cutting months off the approvals process so builders can get on with the job sooner. It means less red tape, lower costs, the fast-tracking of new homes while also maintaining high environmental standards.”
