QUEENSLAND'S Local Government Minister Paul Lucas this month released the Development Assessment Monitoring and Performance Program Annual Report 2010-2011, which provides a snapshot of the development activity occurring throughout high-growth council areas and the length of time taken to process development applications in Queensland.

The report outlines how Queensland's high-growth council areas, state government departments and applicants performed against statutory timeframes for processing development applications in accordance with the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 during 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.

Mr Lucas said the report revealed that most applications were taking nearly half the statutory timeframe to process and that Queenslanders are benefitting from more affordable housing and quicker delivery of vital infrastructure due to councils and government agencies reducing timeframes on development applications.
 
"The median timeframe from application lodgement to a decision being made was 31 business days - a reduction of 4 days from the previous year," Mr Lucas said.

The Minister said the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 allows approximately 60 business days for code assessable applications and approximately 90 business days for impact assessable development applications.

"17,442 applications were decided in the 2010-11 period with over 80 per cent of these being code assessable applications- up from 68 per cent in the previous year," Mr Lucas said.

"We are also cutting down on costly delays in development applications and therefore reducing the costs of new homes for Queenslanders."

Mr Lucas said last year was the first time information about the state's development assessment system was gathered at such a large scale, with a view to cutting down processing times. Next year, each council's performance will be reported on individually.

"This second report compares the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS) processing times for Queensland's 19 high-growth councils and state agencies from July 2010 to June 2011," the Minister said.

"These 19 councils and four state agencies represent 90 per cent of all development application activity across Queensland, with Brisbane City Council contributing about 30 per cent of this group's activity.

"It shows about 95 per cent of development applications were approved with only two per cent refused.
 
"Applications analysed for the report include subdivisions, multi-unit dwellings, commercial and industrial developments and heritage protection," Mr Lucas said.

The Development Assessment Monitoring and Performance Program - Annual Report 2010-2011 is available from the Department of Local Government and Planning website at <http://dlgp.qld.gov.au/statewide-planning/development-assessment-monitoring-and-performance-program.html>.