Lake Macquarie City Council approved almost $1.5 billion in development in the past 12 months.
The overall value of development applications, including modifications to approved development, totalled $1.48 billion in 2019-20, up from $1.24 billion in 2018-19.
With its rapid residential and commercial growth, Cameron Park was the suburb with the highest value of approved DAs for the second year running.
The council approved almost $200 million worth of development there in the past financial year, with another $107 million approved in Bennetts Green, $105 million in Edgeworth and $103 million in Cardiff.
Manager Development Assessment, Liz Lambert, believed ongoing demand for development in Lake Macquarie would help drive the city’s economy as it recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Construction remains one of the biggest employers in Lake Macquarie,” Ms Lambert said.
“Expediting development applications and approving appropriate development throughout this period will help retain jobs and will help our City grow.”
Major developments approved in the past 12 months include a $25 million mixed use commercial and residential tower in Charlestown, a $13.5 million block of flats in Cardiff and a $12 million church in Cameron Park.
Three of the top 10 most valuable DAs approved in the past financial year were for seniors housing, with a $40.9 million facility in Edgeworth, a $15.9 million development in Cardiff, and a $15.7 million development in West Wallsend.
“Providing this kind of housing is another important element in our city’s growth,” Ms Lambert said.
“It not only helps accommodate Australia’s ageing population, it also frees up housing stock for other parts of the community as seniors move into these developments.
“A lot of those larger, traditional blocks older people might have lived in for many years can either be improved or rezoned for medium density development.”
A total 1,583 new DAs were lodged in the past financial year, down from 1,852 in 2018-19.
However, Ms Lambert said the overall value of approved development was boosted by the high number of amended DAs in 2019-20.
