THE TIME it takes for a development application (DA) to go through the council system has been slashed in Newcastle.
City of Newcastle's innovative program could now be rolled out across the state.
More than a third of all applications to the council in July were fast-tracked through the "Accelerated DA" pathway and the average processing time was cut across the board by 20 per cent.
City of Newcastle deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said the initiative had attracted widespread attention.
"We are seeing low-risk developments such as demolition, signage, and smaller ancillary development, processed in just seven days, which is a remarkable achievement," he said.
"By streamlining lower risk development, staff time can be focused on more complex and challenging proposals."
He said Newcastle was being recognised as an attractive place to build.
City of Newcastle's executive director of planning and environment Michelle Bisson said the team should be congratulated for their achievements.
"The Accelerated DA pathway has significantly changed the way DAs are managed for the city," she said.
"We look forward to making further improvements to the process which will lead to even more positive outcomes for the community."
Council's accelerated pathway program managed to fast-track more than 15 per cent of the city's $1.5 billion development pipeline in the 2022-2023 financial year, a spokesperson said.
It's reduced the number of undetermined DAs by 35 per cent since 2017.
