The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) is turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to slash the time it takes to assess State Significant Development (SSD) applications – a move that will directly affect major seniors housing projects.
Currently, the average SSD housing assessment takes around eight and a half months, with three months spent in Government hands. The DPHI says AI will be deployed to streamline the process while retaining human oversight, with final decisions still made by a person.
The new system will be required to:
- Conduct an intelligent review of documentation before lodgement
- Accurately assess applications against key planning criteria
- Reduce overall assessment timeframes
- Complete post-submission checks to accelerate finalisation
The Department expects the reforms will “significantly” cut delays and provide faster certainty for developers while maintaining safeguards.
Recent case: Scalabrini’s Harbourside
The move follows approval of Scalabrini Communities’ $60 million Harbourside redevelopment in Drummoyne late last month, which took 10 months to clear the SSD pathway.
The Parramatta River project, 6km west of the Sydney CBD, will deliver 54 independent living units and a two-bed aged care hub through the partial demolition of two existing buildings.
As The Weekly SOURCE reported in April, only six SSD senior housing decisions had been made in three years and five months.
Industry input
The Department has also issued its new Guide to Faster Assessments for SSD Housing Applications, outlining how officials will work with applicants to reduce approval times.
Urban planning consultancy Ethos Urban was engaged by the DPHI to review and reform the seniors housing planning policy underpinning the Housing SEPP and has been closely involved in SSD processes for some of the sector’s largest projects.
Its SSD portfolio includes:
- BaptistCare Carlingford redevelopment
- Uniting Kingscliff redevelopment
- Ingenia Woolgoolga expansion
- Opal Botanica Care Community St Ives
