Sector responds to new leadership's call for faster housing delivery
A trade body representing the property industry has welcomed remarks from Dave Peffer, the new director-general of the city and environment directorate of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), viewing them as a clear indication that reform may be forthcoming to speed up housing delivery in the territory.
Ashlee Berry (pictured), executive director for the ACT and Capital Region at the Property Council, said Peffer’s comments reflect longstanding calls from the sector to reduce regulatory barriers and address post-approval delays.
“These comments speak to exactly the kind of leadership we’ve been calling for – one that backs public servants and focuses on delivering outcomes, not just ticking boxes,” Berry said. “We’ve got an ambitious housing target of 30,000 new homes by 2030. That won’t happen unless we shift the system from risk-averse to delivery-focused, and that’s what this new direction promises.”
Berry noted that the council has consistently advocated for planning systems that are faster and more transparent to better meet Canberra’s housing needs.
“If we’re serious about unlocking housing supply and revitalising our city, we need to back planners to make decisions closer to the coalface,” she said. “That means removing duplication, cutting approval delays, and giving great ideas room to move. Better planning isn’t about cutting corners – it’s about cutting the layers that slow us down and sap confidence.”
Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show a sharp drop in the ACT’s residential construction activity. The March quarter recorded a 44% fall in home completions and a 40% decline in new housing starts compared to the previous quarter.
“Just 714 homes were completed, well short of the territory’s Housing Accord target of 1,047 dwellings per quarter, and only 427 new homes were commenced, down from 717 the previous quarter,” Berry said.
“The numbers are a clear warning sign that housing delivery in Canberra is slowing just as population pressures intensify. With feasibility challenges mounting and planning bottlenecks still unresolved, developers are hitting pause on projects that no longer stack up.”
The Property Council is calling for a cross-agency Housing Taskforce to improve government coordination, as well as reforms to zoning, lease variation charges, and decision-making timeframes to support new housing projects.
“Canberra’s housing system has been stuck in neutral, and Dave Peffer’s fresh focus might be the jolt it needs,” Berry said. “We’ve got high-calibre people in the public service and a ready-to-go industry. What we need now is a planning system that sets them up to succeed.”
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