Since the City of Newcastle introduced its Accelerated Development Application system in 2022, processing times have been cut by more than 50 per cent. Proponents under the fastest pathway are receiving a result in an average of 1.3 days.

It sounds like science fiction, but the planning team hasn’t relied on AI tools, regulatory reform, or even additional resourcing to achieve their results. The success of the program relies on getting the most out of existing planning frameworks, with a bit of tinkering around the process.

With state funding now in place to roll the program out to other councils, the next year will determine whether the Steel City miracle is a one-off, or if Newcastle’s methods and results can be replicated by other councils and jurisdictions.