Sun Property Group (SPG) has taken a major step to reinforce its commitment to consumer trust by securing Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) from Resilience Insurance for its nearly completed Willoughby development on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.

The boutique project, Aurora, comprising 12 apartments and a ground-floor commercial space, is one of few in the region to adopt the forward-thinking insurance model—offering a point of difference in a competitive market.

For Cameron Johnson, General Manager at Sun Property Group, the decision to adopt LDI was rooted in the company’s long-standing philosophy of maintaining a highly personalised relationship with its end users.

“We’ve always taken ownership over our product,” Johnson said. “Introducing LDI is not just about peace of mind for the buyer—it’s about raising the internal bar. It becomes the baseline for how we do things going forward.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=205006]

While hundreds of developers and builders have taken out an LDI policy from Resilience Insurance, the insurance is still relatively new to Australia. Johnson says he sees significant future potential with LDI nationwide, with both&nbsp;regulatory and market frameworks starting to evolve to support its wider use in class two buildings.

“When we started the Willoughby project, LDI was still just a concept being floated by the Building Commissioner’s office," Johnson says.

"Delays in the construction timeline gave us the unique opportunity to adopt it as the product became more available in late 2023."

That timing aligned with a shift in construction contractors on the project, which opened the door for a more collaborative and considered implementation of the insurance. According to Johnson, Resilience Insurance was proactive and solution-oriented.

“It wasn’t just about us buying a product off the shelf. It was a dialogue—how can we work together to deliver something that meets both of our needs?” he added.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=5717]

LDI covers major structural defects for up to 10 years post-completion and offers an alternative to the traditional developer bond held under the Department of Fair Trading’s scheme. SPG prudently factor in a two per cent cost profile for such measures into its feasibility, treating it as “business as usual.”

“What LDI does is show the consumer that we’re front-ending our responsibilities—design, delivery, documentation, execution. That whole chain of custody is assessed and independently reviewed throughout construction. It’s a rubber stamp on quality,” Johnson said.

In a region where no other nearby developments currently carry LDI, the move also creates a market differentiator. While some projects may carry an iCIRT rating, few offer the depth of protection and oversight that LDI provides, especially outside of publicly listed organisations.

Aurora is being brought to market by Henry Burke of McGrath Projects. With the recent cut in interest rates Burke expects that many first home buyers and investors will jump at the chance to buy in Aurora due to its convenient location, fantastic retail amenity, picturesque parks with leafy walks, and excellent transport connections with only one stop to Sydney CBD. He expects a local owner-occupier to secure the standout penthouse which offers 175 sqm of internal space and further 200 sqm of outdoor space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=205010]

Johnson says Aurora residents will not only benefit from the first right insurance policy, which means action is taken immediately rather than often long and complicated battles as developers and builders point fingers at each other as to who created the issue, but from how it can benefit the strata communities of the building.

Many buyers, especially first-time apartment owners, have limited understanding of shared infrastructure or the responsibilities of Owners Corporations. LDI adds an important layer of education, structure, and protection.

“People want to move in and enjoy what they’ve bought. But when things go wrong, that’s when emotions and stress levels rise. The insurance policy gives owners a clearer path to resolution—an assured, regulated compensation process. It also helps equip owners and managers with the knowledge they need to maintain the building properly.”

The insurance includes tools such as service penetration matrices and access documentation—going far beyond standard build drawings. Johnson says it’s about delivering not just a home, but a sustainable, manageable asset.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=343670]

Sun Property Group continues to build on its strong track record across Sydney’s Lower North Shore, with an upcoming major development of its Bowen Street, Chatswood landholdings and additional projects underway in Melbourne. The team recently completed its debut Melbourne apartment project, The Brookville in Toorak, showcasing their commitment to delivering high-quality, design-led communities.

In a region where no other nearby developments currently carry LDI, the move also creates a market differentiator

Joel Robinson

Sun Property Group approaches completion of Willoughby's first apartment development with 10-year Latent Defects Insurance

Renowned developer-builder DASCO has unveiled its much-anticipated new development in the heart of Epping.

The architectural brief for Turner Studio was to “create a community where residents are completely immersed in a paradise for the senses.”

The result is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/senso-epping-242-244-beecroft-road-epping-nsw-2121">Senso</a>, a series of buildings that have been oriented around an unrepeatable 10,000 sqm-plus site to create a facility-laden, landscape-first precinct, something of which Epping and its surrounds have not seen before.

There are 479 apartments available in a variety of floorplans across the five buildings, a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in addition to a curated penthouse collection.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4553]

The apartments have been designed to appeal to the owner-occupier market, with generous floorplans, premium materials, and optional upgrades including integrated refrigeration, bespoke joinery, and motorised blinds.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a>, who builds its own developments, is once again bringing peace of mind to its clients by taking the 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy offered by Resilience Insurance, which protects buyers against any structural or waterproofing issues for 10 years post completion of the building. This insurance can only be taken out by the builder or developer and not by individual apartment owners.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4552]

DASCO is known for creating more than just apartments — they create places where people connect. Senso will have over 4,000 sqm of resort-inspired communal amenity in the form of two rooftop pools, a celestial outdoor cinema, wellness club, sensory walk, and an observation deck, in addition to multiple BBQ and outdoor communal areas on multiple levels, intended to deliver a complete lifestyle offering within the residential environment.

There will be over 800 sqm of retail space on street level, which will likely be run as hospitality venues.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Located adjacent to the new Epping Town Centre masterplan, and just a five-minute walk from Epping Metro Station, Senso offers seamless access to Macquarie Park, Chatswood and the Sydney CBD. Families who are interested in the large two- and three-bedroom apartments are within proximity to several regarded educational institutions including Macquarie University, James Ruse Agricultural High, and Cheltenham Girls School.

The project also leverages Epping’s growing dining and retail precinct, proximity to Macquarie Centre, and access to natural assets including Terrys Creek walking trails and Boronia Park.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4399]

With a 33-year track record and over 7,000 dwellings delivered, DASCO continues to develop and build; a business model that enables integrated delivery and peace of mind, especially when Senso is backed by Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), providing 10 years of protection for buyers at no additional cost.

The launch of Senso Epping reinforces DASCO’s active pipeline of Sydney-based developments at a time when the market is increasingly focused on owner-occupier appeal, delivery confidence, and long-term quality.

DASCO is partnering on Senso Epping with leading Australian alternative asset management firm Metrics, which has more than $30 billion in assets under management.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

DASCO reveals Senso, Epping’s first resort-style apartment development

Preliminary data by research giant Charter Keck Cramer reveals a 54 per cent decline in Build to Sell apartments across Australia's capital cities, while the Build to Rent boom continues with a 378 per cent increase over the last five years.

Charter Keck Cramer's upcoming National State of the Market Report - Key Metropolitan Areas, scheduled for release in September, will reveal&nbsp;a dramatic transformation in apartment supply patterns across Australia's capital cities between FY2016-2020 and FY2021-2025.

The Build to Sell (BTS) apartment sector has experienced a substantial contraction, with total supply falling by 54 per cent compared to the previous five-year period. The decline represents a reduction of 149,200 apartments across all capital cities.

<img alt="BTS Charter Keck Cramer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3db2ddf3-e7c0-481f-b8b9-63efb365cb80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-20%20at%2011.26.34%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=bsQl8inhZA7FeiPamnGvw1tse0obBdSd" />

Sydney led the downturn with a decrease of 73,600 apartments, followed by Melbourne (-42,800) and Brisbane (-26,800). Perth and Adelaide also recorded significant declines of 6,400 and 2,400 apartments respectively. Only Gold Coast and Canberra bucked the trend, with modest increases of 500 and 2,300 apartments.

In stark contrast, the Build to Rent (BTR) sector has emerged as a major force in the apartment market, recording a remarkable 378% increase in supply. This growth added 8,590 apartments across the capital cities during FY2021-2025. Melbourne dominated BTR growth with 6,160 additional apartments, while Sydney contributed 2,100 units. Brisbane and Canberra also recorded growth of 800 and 330 apartments respectively. Gold Coast and Perth recorded minor declines, while Adelaide maintained steady levels.

<img alt="BTR CKC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca13ffd4-ab93-4828-afd2-4c3dccbd2b51" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-20%20at%2011.28.54%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=SXNnpcJuFD36ViWOwF6izBBqcQc3NWao" />

“These preliminary findings indicate a fundamental shift in Australia's apartment development landscape, with traditional Build to Sell models giving way to institutional Build to Rent developments,” said Richard Temlett, Charter Keck Cramer’s National Executive Director of Research.

"This transition reflects changing investor preferences, regulatory environments and housing affordability challenges across major metropolitan areas.”

The complete Charter Keck Cramer National State of the Market Report – Key Metropolitan Areas will provide comprehensive analysis of these trends, their underlying drivers and implications for developers, investors and policymakers when released in September.

Build to Sell apartment supply drops 54% in five years across Australian capital cities

Verso Development Group is seeking to bring over 1,100 apartments to the heart of Brisbane's Toowong, with plans filed for a $1 billion, triple tower development known as Toowong Central.

The landmark urban regeneration project "aims to reshape the core of Brisbane’s inner-west riverside suburb."

Covering over 1.4-hectares across&nbsp;Sherwood Road, High Street, and Jephson Street, Toowong Central has been designed by KHA and will comprise three towers rising 49, 55, and 58 levels.

<img alt="Toowong Central" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="48611e3d-7123-4b99-b2cb-bfa4bc98024f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenities.png?VersionId=yKBexB.BgCkq4OET8fHDkWs0d3DjxOKJ" />

According to the Urban Context Report prepared by Urbis, Toowong Central is positioned as a “city-defining precinct reclaiming Toowong as ‘the best destination in the west’,” with a vision to deliver density differently, strengthen Toowong’s identity, and lead subtropical urban design.

There will be a wide range of apartment configurations, from one-bedrooms to five-bedroom penthouses, as well as short-term accomodation offerings. The design prioritises pedestrian permeability, with an activated public realm featuring a central civic plaza, laneways, and street-level retail and dining.

“The central square’s structure, programming, scale and location creates a social anchor - shaped by its edges, flexible for use, and animated by a diversity of experiences throughout the day and into the evening,” the Urban Context Report noted, reinforcing the project's ambition to become a vibrant community destination.

Design excellence was pursued through an international design competition, attracting entries from renowned practices such as UNStudio and BIG. KHA’s winning design distinguished itself with a ceremonial approach to the public realm, integrating terraces, tiered seating, and green infrastructure to promote social interaction and resilience.

The development builds upon two existing approvals: the 25- and 20-storey towers of the Aviary Toowong proposal, and a separate 25- and 24-storey approval at 88 Jephson Street. Consolidation of these fragmented landholdings under a precinct-wide approach allows for increased community value and cohesive urban integration.

Urbis Director Nicholas Stevenson said Toowong Central will bridge the gap in Toowong's current experience, unlocking the potential of the wider precinct.

"Overcoming experiential constraints and leveraging contextual advantages – Toowong Central will redefine Brisbane's inner west.”

<img alt="Toowong Central" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73f7a702-625d-452d-9df2-30a0863ac1e8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/master.png?VersionId=TZdh6wxGC_8IIroXpdkZfuhlS8mFZnea" />

Toowong Central’s ambition extends beyond residential and commercial outcomes. Uses under consideration include a world-class hotel, university facilities, a museum, and health and wellness services, reflecting its role as a western gateway to Brisbane’s growing innovation corridor between the CBD and the University of Queensland.

Urbis Managing Partner James Tuma said Brisbane has no greater opportunity to showcase the future of urban living than Toowong – a sustainable, economically vibrant, and people-centric place that embodies the best of Brisbane.

[The plans] gives us a glimpse into our future as a globally relevant, youthful, entrepreneurial, and distinctly subtropical city.”

$1 billion Toowong Central to deliver 1,100 apartments to undersupplied Brisbane market

In <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/runaway-bay-qld-4216">Runaway Bay</a>, new townhouse-scale waterfront residences are rare - but ones built to the standards found on Sovereign Island are almost unheard of.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/ocean-suites-on-jennifer-10-12-jennifer-avenue-runaway-bay-qld-4216">Ocean Suites on Jennifer</a>&nbsp;changes that, delivering a calibre of construction and detailing that places its seven villas well above the typical market offering in this northern Gold Coast pocket.

Ocean Suites on Jennifer will be move-in ready before Christmas this year, giving buyers the chance to spend the summer on the water in one of Runaway Bay’s rare new waterfront residences.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214444]

The development is a collaboration between <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/stuart-osman">Stuart Osman Design</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sand-side-developments">Sand Side Developments</a>, with construction by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/alroe-constructions">Alroe Constructions</a>.

Architect Stuart Osman says the intent from the outset was to create a home people would be drawn to. “When you build anything, the design is to make you want to go hang out in this house,” he says.&nbsp;

Ocean Suites on Jennifer’s design features a front façade softened with planter boxes, rear pool areas, and rooftop decks looking over the water.&nbsp;

Inside, voids and high skylights bring daylight deep into the centre of each home, while ceiling heights of 2.85 metres maintain a strong sense of volume.

Each four-level residence spans 345 to 388 sqm, with layouts accommodating multi-generational living - a ground-floor bedroom suite for older family members and upper levels for the rest of the household. A lift connects all floors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214435]

For Andrew Erwin, Director at NPA, the project’s appeal lies in both its location and the detail in execution.&nbsp;

"At Ocean Suites, you’ve got a canal-front setting with direct Broadwater access and a level of finish you’d normally only see in the city’s most prestigious addresses. The four-level layouts, the glass-framed living areas, the private pools, even the extended kitchens, every part of it has been designed with the buyer in mind,” he says.

Those buyers have so far been a mix of Gold Coast locals and interstate purchasers, many seeking a lock-up-and-leave holiday home or a downsized residence without sacrificing space for visiting family.&nbsp;

Older households with teenage children are a recurring profile, drawn to layouts that support multi-generational living and the ability to host extended stays.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214432]

Material selection reinforces the project’s quality-first ethos, with every home appointed to a premium standard. Kitchens and ensuites feature engineered stone surfaces, complemented by prestige oak engineered timber floors, Victorian ash hardwood staircases, and soft loop-pile carpet.

Premium lighting, statement pendants, ceiling fans, and Fujitsu ducted air conditioning elevate both comfort and design. Each residence also includes a suite of high-end appliances as standard - Fisher &amp; Paykel integrated fridges, Bosch ovens, induction cooktops and dishwashers, Vintec wine fridges, and Franke sinks.

Beyond the interiors, residents enjoy an enviable lifestyle with rooftop terraces, private plunge pools, fire pit areas, outdoor showers, smart home automation, laundry chutes, and private pontoons.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214452]

With no additional upgrade costs, Sand Side Developments underscores its no-shortcuts approach, delivering homes where luxury and amenity come as standard.

Osman adds that the kitchen has been designed as “the main hub of the house” with six metres high skylights above a galley-style layout that “makes it feel bigger, brighter, whiter” and “brings light into the centre of the home.”

Both architect and builder emphasise a shared commitment to delivering the intended design without compromise. “Working with Alroe’s structural team and their construction team, it’s been great to make sure that the look and feel that was originally intended is the result achieved at the end of the project,” Osman says.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214453]

Outdoor living has been given equal consideration, with rooftop terraces designed for entertaining with a fire pit and bar, and spacious undercover patios featuring private plunge pools.

The marine access is as carefully executed as the homes themselves. An eight-metre gangway leads to a six-metre private pontoon capable of mooring vessels up to 30 feet, just 300 metres by water from the Broadwater.&nbsp;

Even the orientation of each villa has been optimised to capture long views down the canal, across the Broadwater, and south to Main Beach.

With construction in its final stages, just three of the seven villas remain, priced from $3.365 million to $3.695 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=138718]

Sovereign Island standards come to Runaway Bay with Ocean Suites on Jennifer

Development applications

Property development groups, including Lendlease and Stockland, have shared their support of the City of Sydney&rsquo;s plan to include energy targets in development applications.&nbsp;

In a first for a local council in Australia, the proposal means development applications for new office buildings, hotels and shopping centres and major redevelopments of existing buildings will comply with minimum energy ratings.

Neil Arckless, Lendlease executive development director, said his organisation supported the ambitious performance standards.&nbsp;

New buildings will be more energy efficient, use more renewable energy and support the transition to net-zero emissions.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7588 project_image_fid=72298]

The regulations will come into effect in January 2023 and achieve net-zero energy output by 2026.

The measures are expected to save more than $1.3 billion on energy bills for investors, businesses and occupants from 2023 to 2040, and help the City meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2035.&nbsp;

&ldquo;At Lendlease we recently set our own pathway to net zero carbon by 2025 and absolute zero by 2040&rdquo;, Arckless said.

&ldquo;We are always pushing the boundaries to innovate in&nbsp;sustainability&nbsp;and welcome the City of Sydney leading the way in the development of these performance standards. I&rsquo;m confident we can all rise to the challenge.&rdquo;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7758 project_image_fid=79424]

The City of Sydney&rsquo;s ambitious, yet achievable, standards were created with support from developers, industry bodies, consultants and government agencies.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
&ldquo;As we emerge from the impacts of the pandemic, we&rsquo;re helping ensure sustainability&nbsp;and resilience is at the core of business recovery&rdquo;, said the Lord Mayor.
</blockquote>

&ldquo;The performance standards and evidence base can be used by all councils across Greater Sydney and will support investment in renewable energy and create jobs in regional areas &ndash; as we have already done through our investment in wind farms and solar farms in Inverell, Nowra and Wagga Wagga.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The climate challenge is one that we can only meet with concerted action. The more we can work together and exchange information, knowledge and experiences, the greater our ability to meet the NSW Government net-zero emissions target and allow us to continue to create truly liveable cities&quot;, the Lord Mayor said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13326]

Stockland CEO commercial property Louise Mason said the company strongly endorsed the City&rsquo;s net-zero energy buildings performance standards.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We have brought forward our target to achieve net zero carbon emissions to 2028 and extended the commitment across our entire portfolio, covering close to 170 active assets and projects Australia-wide,&rdquo; Mason said.&nbsp;

The measures are expected to deliver substantial financial benefits. Annually office owners will save $2,750 per 1,000 square metres of floor area and hotel owners $170 per hotel room.&nbsp;

There are also additional public benefits and savings in health, energy network and emissions costs, worth around $1.8 billion.

&ldquo;Across Greater Sydney, the changing climate is a shared problem. These performance standards will help us meet our shared goal of net zero emissions and deliver progress against the Greater Sydney region plan low carbon city objective,&rdquo; Greater Sydney Commission environment commissioner Emma Herd said.

Property development groups, including Lendlease and Stockland, have shared their support of the City of Sydney’s plan to include energy targets in development applications

max.kwok_55688

Developers support the City of Sydney’s ambitious new plans for net zero buildings 

<html><body>
A prime development site in Sydney's Elizabeth Bay has finally got the green light to construct a luxury apartment development.

The integrated property group Top Spring Australia submitted $21 million plans to the City of Sydney earlier this year to develop the 1,345 sqm site at 11-13 Greenknowe Avenue which is owned by the Chinese-backed Australia developer SHMH Group.

SHMH paid $20.24 million for the development site in 2014, but over the years had been struggling to get an eight level building approved due to height restrictions.

They then had a 52 room boarding house approved, with conditions, but steps to expedite the deferred commencement with the council were not successful.

The new plans will see the former HQ of the NSW Country Women's Association demolished and the site excavated, before the construction of a part six, part seven storey residential building made up of 30 two and three bedroom apartments.

There will be one level of basement parking. 

<img alt="" height="1095" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/11-13_greenknowe_avenue_elizabeth_bay_2.jpg" width="2000">

It will be only for owner-occupiers, or those on long-term residential leases, and not for short-term accomodation.

PBD Architects have designed the building which will recognise the heritage character of the surrounding area, with a brick façade and art deco features.

Top Spring also recently appointed award-winning Melbourne-based designer, Miriam Fanning, of MIM Design.

Taylor Brammer Landscape Architects have also been commissioned for the project.

Sydney Ma, Director and General Manager of Top Spring Australia, says Greenknowe Avenue will also demonstrate the company’s ambition to incorporate the character of the local area into each of their projects.

“Elizabeth Bay is well-known for its stunning architecture, so with our Greenknowe Avenue project, we are committed to delivering an exemplary level of quality and design, while respecting and honouring the distinctive architectural character of the local surroundings,” explained Mr Ma.

“In this context, it will be of utmost importance for us to deliver an outstanding building design that complements Elizabeth Bay, and it’s pleasing to know the City of Sydney approves of our vision.”

SHMH had been using the building as offices as they struggled to get their eight level building approved.

SHMH tried to sell the building, listing it last September hoping it would sell for around $30 million.

PBD's latest development to the City of Sydney saw them request to convert a portion of the ground floor of the existing building as a display suite, which suggests the development will be called Watanabe.

Sales are expected to commence in April 2021, with completion slated for 2023.
</body></html>

Elizabeth Bay apartment development gets green light

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<h2>OPINION: </h2>

Some say that patience is a virtue, but a lot must be said about “hustling while you wait” and more aptly, that “time is money”. Indeed, time remains one of the most significant parameters of business. It is arguably a more important factor in project delivery, construction, finance, and management, than even the quantum of profit, or administration, or procurement practices. And we have totally lost sight of this all-significant factor in the NSW Planning System today.

We heard through the official channels as late as last week that assessment times for Development Applications (DAs) have reduced by 50%, following the introduction of the new online lodgement system. This ostensibly appears to be a greater victory than that of Alexander the Great over Darius III in 331 BC.  But for those of us who are currently toiling away, shackled and enslaved with the labyrinthine NSW Planning System, we cannot see or feel in a single Development Application that this may be remotely true. But we have stopped complaining because what we thought was slow ten years ago, is now considered “lightning fast”. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-03-04_at_10.57.01_am.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-03-04_at_10.57.01_am.png?itok=NKFdi6x5" width="580"></a></figure>One still wonders if the current information on halving DA times is truth or aspiration when it is so unrepresentative of the overwhelming experience of the NSW property industry. The pervasive pattern thus far has been to introduce more rules and regulations that are designed to help us do better and go faster. Except we do worse and go slower. And though we have been conditioned to heed the touted fears of an “unregulated” world, having a DA for a complying project take 24 months and a rezoning stretch to 5 years, cannot be in anyone’s best interest – unless I am mistaken.

That has to be, by anyone’s standard, “snail’s pace”. Now when you consider that the average garden snail, crawls along at around 0.05 km/h, and assuming it travels for 16 hours per day, the snail could within 24 months, travel around 584 km. That is the equivalent of crawling from the Sydney Opera House, to Parliament House in Canberra, and back before the average building DA is approved.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-03-04_at_10.57.15_am.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-03-04_at_10.57.15_am.png?itok=JTqnqczU" width="580"></a></figure>While so wanting to go faster, is undoubtedly everyone’s aspiration, including state and local government, in scrutinising the lived-experience and reflecting upon the stark reality that in NSW Planning today, this is more a “piped dream” that a “deliverable”  in today’s commercial world. And this has always been a problem confined to the development industry – until you have to lodge a simple DA for your pergola or driveway, and begin to experience the expense and entanglement of your simple application travelling at “snail’s pace” through the NSW Planning System.

And nobody wins. The council or the state uses up a lot of time and resource to get to the same result, and the consumer suffers financially crippling delays that render applicants so anguished, they almost abandon their applications after years of trying and tens of thousands of dollars of real expense. 

So I can’t see how allowing one’s application to go online has already halved the approval times of DAs. It sounds difficult to believe if you understand the complexity of the preparation of a DA and its pathway to assessment. But after 21 years of being immersed in this ocean of complexity - I am ready to try anything: voodoo; a monastic experience; even e-planning.

Perhaps it is better to go back to basics. The sagacious Justice Sutherland once reminded applicants:

<blockquote>
“Salus Populi Suprema Lex Est” - that “the welfare of the people is the supreme law”. 
</blockquote>

And I say that the “welfare of the people” today needs to be better than what we have now: the “snail’s pace” that is the NSW Approval Process. Here’s to hoping.
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