We want to encourage medium and high-growth councils to speed up development assessment times to help deliver more homes across NSW.
Councils approve nearly 85% of development applications for homes in NSW and are crucial to increasing housing supply.
Over 3 years, the Faster Assessments Incentive Program will award up to $200 million in financial incentives to top-performing eligible councils for achieving reduced, and consistently low, development assessment timeframes.
The program rewards councils that improve planning performance by investing in the roads, parks, community facilities and other infrastructure needed to support new housing and growing communities.
Funding must be used to deliver infrastructure projects that support new homes and will be completed by 30 June 2029.
Eligibility for the program is linked to housing targets and is available to medium and high-growth councils.
These eligible councils will deliver the bulk of the 377,000 new homes to be built in NSW by 2029 under the National Housing Accord.
Round 1 outcomes
More than $106 million in local infrastructure will be delivered across NSW through Round 1 of the Faster Assessments Incentive Program.
The 30 funded projects include road upgrades that support housing growth, community facilities, active transport links, sporting infrastructure, parks and public space improvements across metropolitan and regional NSW.
- $53.86 million in NSW Government funding
- $52.18 million in council contributions
- 30 infrastructure projects funded.
How councils qualified
To receive funding, councils needed to meet performance benchmarks for development application (DA) assessment times.
In Round 1:
- 35 councils met or exceeded the 115-day benchmark
- average assessment times were below the 115-day minimum performance standard set in the Minister’s Statement of Expectations Order for 2024–25:
- 89 days (metropolitan councils)
- 82 days (regional councils).
Successful councils were then invited to nominate an infrastructure project for funding.
Read the program guidelines (PDF, 3.3 MB) for Round 1.
Types of projects funded
Round 1 funding supports infrastructure that helps accommodate housing growth and improve community liveability, including:
Roads and intersections
Parks and open space
Community facilities
Sporting and recreation infrastructure
Active transport connections
Public domain improvements
| Council | Project name | Description | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albury | Thurgoona link road stage 2 | Extend a key road connection in Albury's main growth area to support future housing development. | $1,000,000 |
| Bathurst | Lawrence Drive connection | Deliver a new road link connecting Kelso and Laffing Waters servicing land for future housing. | $1,000,000 |
| Blacktown | Melonba Park community facility | Provide a new modular community hub in one of Sydney's fastest-growing areas, giving residents access local community facilities. | $1,316,145 |
| Burwood | Linear urban playground | Transform Unity Place into linear urban playground with integrated landscaping, lighting and play elements. | $1,000,000 |
| Camden | Camden civic plaza | Create a new civic plaza for markets, events and cultural activities, strengthening Camden's town centre and community infrastructure. | $3,000,000 |
| Campbelltown | Kanbyugal Parklands mountain bike park (phase 2) | Complete a regional-scale mountain bike and active recreation destination serving surrounding growth areas and new communities. | $3,000,000 |
| Canada Bay | Livvi's Place accessible playground upgrade | Upgrade an inclusive playground with improved equipment and amenities, creating a more accessible space for children of all abilities. | $2,000,000 |
| Cessnock | Leaconfield Street bridge replacement | Replace an ageing bridge and improves pedestrian access, supporting a new residential subdivision and safer local connections. | $1,000,000 |
| Cumberland | Duck River Parklands active transport link | Complete a missing section of the Duck River cycleway, improving links between neighbourhoods, parks and public transport. | $3,000,000 |
| Eurobodalla | West Rosedale housing infrastructure project | Upgrade key intersections on George Bass Drive and deliver new shared pathway connections to support residential growth in the Rosedale–Tomakin area. | $1,000,000 |
| Fairfield | Brenan Park transformation project | Enhance a major regional park through accessibility upgrades, new facilities and urban greening to support growing communities. | $2,000,000 |
| Hornsby | Westleigh mountain bike trails | Formalisation of mountain bike trails, expanding recreation opportunities for local and regional riders, including new beginner-friendly tracks | $2,000,000 |
| Inner West | Wicks Park upgrade | Upgrade to existing tennis courts, recreation facilities, playgrounds and community spaces to support new housing in the Victoria Road Precinct. | $2,000,000 |
| Ku-ring-gai | Canoon Road recreation building redevelopment | Provide modern amenities, meeting spaces and changerooms to support local sporting organisations and community groups. | $2,000,000 |
| Lake Macquarie | Charlestown to Whitebridge Corridor upgrade (stage 1) | Construct part of a major walking and cycling corridor linking growth areas, schools and community facilities. | $2,000,000 |
| Lane Cove | River Road shared user path (stage 1) | Deliver a missing active transport link connecting schools, recreation facilities and key cycling routes. | $1,000,000 |
| Maitland | Max McMahon Redevelopment (stage 2) | Create a multifunction community facility to support sporting clubs, events and residents in Maitland's growing western precinct. | $2,000,000 |
| Mid-Coast | Wylie Breckenridge Park upgrade | Deliver a new district playground and public amenities to improve local recreation facilities. | $1,000,000 |
| Newcastle | Union Street streetscape renewal | Revitalise the Wickham town centre with safer, more accessible streets and improved public spaces to support housing growth. | $3,000,000 |
| Northern Beaches | Miller Reserve upgrade | Expand sports field capacity and recreational facilities to accommodate growing demand from nearby housing growth areas. | $2,000,000 |
| Orange | Murphy Lane and Mitchell Highway intersection upgrade | Upgrade and signalise a key intersection, unlocking access to land capable of delivering up to 1,300 housing lots. | $1,000,000 |
| Parramatta | Parramatta River foreshore upgrade | Enhance access, safet and public space along the Parramatta River to support CBD growth and cultural activity. | $3,000,000 |
| Port Stephens | Ferodale/Peppertree road intersection upgrade | Improve road safety and traffic flow while supporting planned growth in the Medowie town centre. | $1,000,000 |
| Ryde | Regional Route 04 – Chatswood to Burwood shared user path | Deliver a strategic cycling and walking link, completing a missing section of a major regional active transport route. | $2,536,000 |
| Shellharbour | Jock Brown sportsfield redevelopment | Upgrade sporting facilities with new amenities lighting and infrastructure to create 2 high-quality community sports fields. | $1,000,000 |
| Shoalhaven | Northern Shoalhaven regional sporting infrastructure upgrade | Upgrade tennis, hockey and sports lighting infrastructure to meet growing community demand and improve safety. | $999,974 |
| Sydney | Traffic signals at Epsom Road and George Julius Avenue | Install new traffic signals and pedestrian crossings to improve safety, accessibility and active transport connections. | $3,000,000 |
| Wagga Wagga | Estella Road and Boorooma Street roundabout | Construct a new roundabout to improve safety and capacity in an area experiencing significant residential growth. | $1,000,000 |
| Wollondilly | Wollondilly cultural precinct village green | Deliver a new multipurpose public green space as part of the Picton town centre cultural precinct. | $2,000,000 |
| Wollongong | Crown Street west precinct upgrade | Improve footpaths lighting and public spaces in the CBD to support increased residential development and activity. | $2,000,000 |
| Total funding | $53,852,119 |
Round 2 now open
Round 2 provides an additional $67 million for eligible councils that reduce average assessment timeframes in the 2025–26 financial year.
Eligible councils must have met and exceeded the Ministerial Statement of Expectations target of 105 days and have improved on the previous year’s performance to be competitive.
The scoring criteria for Round 2 encourages councils to keep reducing their assessment timeframes to be considered for funding.
Councils do not need to apply to be considered. Eligible councils are those with housing targets over 1,000 dwellings (or an implied dwelling demand over 1,000 dwellings for the Housing Accord Period for those councils without an individual housing target).
Read the Round 2 guidelines (PDF, 3.8 MB).
Frequently asked questions
Round 2 is now open and provides an additional $67 million for eligible councils that reduce average assessment timeframes in the 2025–26 financial year.
Eligible councils must have met and exceeded the Ministerial Statement of Expectations target of 105 days and have improved on the previous year’s performance to be competitive.
We will be in contact with successful councils later in 2026 to provide further information.
The program is targeted at medium and high growth councils where most new homes will be delivered.
Eligible metropolitan councils account for around 76% of NSW’s housing target under the Housing Accord, and eligible regional councils make up around 77% of expected growth in regional areas.
Councils are assessed using data from the NSW Planning Portal, which is published monthly through the Department’s Council league table.
This ensures a consistent and transparent approach across all councils. Data is reviewed to identify any inconsistencies before final rankings are confirmed.
Funding that is not allocated in a round may be carried forward in accordance with the program guidelines and future program requirements.