Urban Taskforce and Property Council back measures to boost housing supply and project approvals
Ahead of the NSW Budget set to be announced today, key industry bodies have welcomed signs that the Minns government is prioritising housing delivery, infrastructure upgrades, and planning reform.
Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive Tom Forrest (pictured left) said pre-budget announcements indicate the government is recognising the urgent need to boost housing supply and remove planning system roadblocks. “The Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) and the new Investment Delivery Authority (IDA) are signs that the government acknowledges that the planning system is a major part of the productivity problem in NSW,” he said.
Urban Taskforce welcomed several measures including the establishment of a new IDA, modelled on the HDA, to streamline planning approvals and accelerate up to 30 major projects across sectors. Also noted were the release of draft Works in Kind Guidelines for delivering state infrastructure and the extension of land tax concessions for build-to-rent developments to last in perpetuity.
The government has also committed $50 million for road upgrades in the Aerotropolis, including intersection improvements at Elizabeth Drive and Luddenham Road and a new turning lane at Mamre Road and Kerrs Road. A further $39 million has been allocated to plan three major transport routes in Western Sydney, with $12.5 million contributed by the federal government.
Another $29.6 million will fund an incident response team to manage accidents and traffic delays on key routes, while $30 million will go towards installing more than 1,000 new green directional signs to the Aerotropolis and Western Sydney Airport. Additionally, $644 million in developer-funded water infrastructure upgrades is planned for the Mamre Road industrial precinct, including the construction of naturalised channels and stormwater capture basins.
Forrest said the announcements show positive momentum, but warned that deeper reform is needed. He also reiterated calls to defer infrastructure charges until project completion to improve cash flow and reduce risk for developers. “Having a tax on the start of construction of new homes, when there is a shortage of dwellings, is counterproductive in the extreme,” he said.
The Property Council of Australia echoed the optimism. NSW executive director Katie Stevenson (pictured right) said the signals from the government suggest a budget focused on delivery fundamentals – housing feasibility, workforce development, and unlocking infrastructure.
“Everything we’ve heard so far suggests this budget is focused on the fundamentals of delivery we’ve been calling for – making housing feasible, building the skilled workforce we need, and unblocking the infrastructure that unlocks new communities and economic growth,” Stevenson said.
She also welcomed the IDA, saying it aligned with the Property Council’s advocacy for faster, more coordinated project approvals. “By streamlining major project approvals and cutting through red tape, the new Authority has the potential to accelerate investment in housing-enabling infrastructure,” she said.
Stevenson also lauded investment in construction skills, long-term certainty for build-to-rent, and continued funding for Building Commission NSW, all of which support housing supply and market confidence.
Innovation was another highlight, with commitments including $20 million for Emerging Technology Commercialisation focused on housing and energy, and $4 million to support new construction technologies through the Housing Innovation Network and the Innovation in Construction Fund. The $38.5 million commitment to Tech Central also drew support, with Stevenson noting the move aligns with the Property Council’s Partnering Better roadmap and broader precinct development efforts.
“As a member of the Innovation Districts Alliance, we’ve worked closely with our health and education institutions to promote collaborative precinct models that integrate housing, innovation and economic growth,” Stevenson said.
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