The New South Wales government is fast tracking the delivery of thousands of new homes through the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA), which has generated a pipeline of 150,000 potential new dwellings in just 18 months.
The HDA has declared a further 94 major residential proposals as state significant. The latest declarations inject more than 22,000 potential new homes into the streamlined state planning pathway, helping to clear a substantial backlog of industry expressions of interest caused by overwhelming demand.
Established by the government in December 2024, the HDA bypasses traditional local council planning bottlenecks by handling high-yield residential developments.
It allows large-scale projects to be fast-tracked under strict completion timelines, slashing standard assessment periods by nearly a third.
Proponents are legally required to lodge formal state-significant development applications within nine months, and construction must commence within a year of final approval.
If all 484 currently declared proposals clear the planning system and gain approval, the scheme will deliver over 134,000 homes across Greater Sydney and close to 16,400 affordable and market-rate dwellings in regional NSW.
To date, 14 projects have secured full approval, unlocking more than 2,500 initial homes, while another 74 applications representing 26,000 dwellings have already been lodged.
The HDA was officially made a permanent fixture of the state’s planning framework last year following landmark legislative reforms that passed parliament with near-universal support.
It functions alongside the NSW Housing Pattern Book and the largest rezoning program in the state’s history to satisfy urgent supply requirements.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said: “The Housing Delivery Authority is delivering real results for housing in NSW, creating a pipeline of more than 150,000 potential homes so families, young people and downsizers can find a home sooner.
“The initiative has far exceeded expectations and each of the homes currently in the pipeline demonstrate why we made it a permanent planning pathway.”
Currently, close to 80,000 homes are under construction across NSW, with total housing approvals up 20 per cent compared to 2023 levels.
