Developer briefs

NSW council planning evidence

Port Stephens Council DA tracker & development applications

5,986 development applications since 2019, proposing 11,773 new homes. A decision takes 27 days at the median.

5,986Applications
11,773Homes proposed
27 daysMedian decision time
$90kMedian cost of works
1.2%Refused, of 5,140 decided

Two registers, side by side

What is proposed here versus what is approved. These are separate government registers that nobody publishes together: the NSW Planning Portal records what people apply to build, the ABS records what is actually approved. Over the last 12 months the ABS recorded 353 dwellings approved in Port Stephens Council worth $192M. The application pipeline is running at about 5.05× that rate. Substantially more is being proposed than approved.

Applications lodged by year

Applications lodged by year06361.3k2020: applications 1142021: applications 1,2722022: applications 1,2432023: applications 8352024: applications 8162025: applications 7462026: applications 4922020202120222023202420252026
applications · 2020 to 2026. Select a year to see the applications lodged in that period. Lodgements are applications, not approvals or completed homes. The most recent year may be incomplete; coverage follows this council’s NSW feed.
Applications lodged by year — underlying values
Period or categoryapplications
2020applications 114
2021applications 1,272
2022applications 1,243
2023applications 835
2024applications 816
2025applications 746
2026applications 492 (partial period)

Source: NSW Planning Portal Online DA · Source snapshot: 2026-08-22.

Types of work proposed

Type of workApplications
Erection of a new structure1,516
Shed843
Dwelling789
Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure748
Dwelling house723
Pools / decks / fencing537
Alterations and additions to residential development499
Garages, carports and car parking spaces391

Heritage

132 heritage-listed items, 6 on the State Heritage Register — see them all. A listing restricts what can be altered or demolished.

Latest development applications

AddressWhatLodgedStatus
35 Tanilba Avenue Tanilba Bay 2319Shed; Erection of a new structure21 Aug 2026Under Assessment
924 Seaham Road Seaham 2324Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Carport; Manufactured home20 Aug 2026Under Assessment
1 12 Thurlow Avenue Nelson Bay 2315Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support20 Aug 2026Under Assessment
9 Scott Street Anna Bay 2316Dual occupancy; Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation20 Aug 2026Under Assessment
30 Peppertree Road Medowie 2318Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support20 Aug 2026Under Assessment
127a Salamander Way Salamander Bay 2317Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool20 Aug 2026Under Assessment
Tilligerry CreekErection of a new structure; Telecommunications network; Telecommunications facility19 Aug 2026Under Assessment
80 South Street Medowie 2318Shed; Erection of a new structure18 Aug 2026Under Assessment
30 Sylvan Avenue Medowie 2318Secondary dwelling; Shed; Erection of a new structure18 Aug 2026Under Assessment
9 Cobalt Way Medowie 2318Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation18 Aug 2026Under Assessment
45 Italia Road Balickera 2324Erection of a new structure; Infrastructure18 Aug 2026Under Assessment
79 Blanch Street Boat Harbour 2316Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure18 Aug 2026Under Assessment
24 Morton Avenue Lemon Tree Passage 2319Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool18 Aug 2026Under Assessment
5 Jeffries Circuit Williamtown 2318Subdivision17 Aug 2026Under Assessment
5 Ballat Close Medowie 2318Erection of a new structure; Carport17 Aug 2026Under Assessment
69 Sunningdale Circuit Medowie 2318Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure17 Aug 2026Under Assessment
17 Kierman Circuit Heatherbrae 2324Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure17 Aug 2026Under Assessment
25 Octagonal Drive Heatherbrae 2324Subdivision14 Aug 2026Under Assessment
13 Irambang Street Nelson Bay 2315Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures); Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool14 Aug 2026Under Assessment
70 Latitude Drive Anna Bay 2316Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Caravan park14 Aug 2026Under Assessment

All 5,986 applications →

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New applications as they are lodged, without visiting: RSS · JSON Feed. Both update when the nightly refresh runs.

What this council page tells you

Use the evidence in context. Applications show what has been proposed, not what has been approved or built. The figures above bring the NSW Planning Portal application feed together with the ABS approvals register and heritage data where a reliable council match exists.

Evidence boundary

Evidence found5,986 applications since 2019; 11,773 proposed homes; 353 dwellings approved in the current ABS comparison period.
Source coverageNSW Planning Portal Online DA, with ABS Building Approvals and NSW heritage registers where matched. Application data checked through 22 Aug 2026.
What this meansThis is the complete evidence currently loaded for this named council from the stated source universe.
What this does not meanZero or missing values do not prove no activity outside those sources. An application is not an approval or a completed project, and the NSW feed does not publish applicant, owner, architect or developer identity.

Applications: NSW Planning Portal Online DA API (CC-BY). Approvals: ABS Building Approvals by LGA (CC-BY 4.0). Decision time is measured from lodgement to determination on the 5,111 applications carrying both dates. Cost of works is the applicant's own estimate.