Media release
Inner West Councillor Jess D'Arienzo
Inner West Council has now voted to introduce major planning reforms to break the back of bureaucratic processes that are slowing down the delivery of desperately needed new housing.
The reforms, proposed by Ashfield Ward Councillor Jess D'Arienzo, include requiring the Council's General Manger to directly oversee and speed up the assessment of significant new housing applications, establishing an Inner West City Architect and surveying every applicant about how customer service can be improved.
From a minor renovation through to a new high-rise development, the Council recognises that we must improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our planning system in order to make a dent in the housing crisis.
These reforms are being brought forward to coincide with new rezonings that will see a significant increase in housing density on main streets and around transport hubs.
Councillor D'Arienzo said that the Inner West is determined to address the housing supply crisis and must significantly speed up the assessment process to do that.
"What we are hearing from the housing sector is that, too often the development application process can feel like a game of bureaucratic pinball, bouncing back and forth between the council departments.
"The housing crisis is here now and we are taking action to accelerate the delivery of new homes. Our council is pulling all the levers available to us to pick up the pace and fix the supply crisis in our own backyard.
"The three pillars to our reforms are creating a new role for a City Architect, a Post-Development Application Survey and establishing a new Significant Residential Development Panel.
"Well built, high quality and sustainable design are paramount for our community and a City Architect will be responsible for embedding these principles in our developing built environment.
"With significant new residential rezoning about to be put on public exhibition we are setting the groundwork so that new residential developments are assessed efficiently and transparently.
"We are establishing a new Residential Development Panel tasked with slashing red tape for the new residential developments we need. With the General Manager, General Counsel, Director of Planning and City Architect being made directly responsible for facilitating the timely delivery of high-quality, well-designed housing.
"These are big reforms because we have a big problem to address when it comes to providing more affordable housing in the Inner West."
"We have looked at best practice and what has worked in other areas and we have crafted this package of reforms to directly and effectively address the housing crisis while improving the quality of our public spaces, parks, streetscapes, and urban design."
Please find attached the full resolutions of Council establishing the City Architect, Significant Residential Development Panel and the new customer survey for all applicants.
