Cr Walkom chaired Monday night's Planning and Development Committee meeting in the absence of regular chairwoman Lyn Griffiths, in which a development application (DA) for a 217-lot subdivision off Volta Avenue was referred to the Western Joint Regional Planning Panel.

A DA for a 70-bed senior care facility and 12 self-contained dwellings by the Royal Freemasons Benevolent Institution on the north-east corner of Keswick Estate has already been passed by the WJRPP and was given the tick of approval by council as well on Monday.

Mr Walkom said both submissions showed the level of confidence there was across the city.

"If you look across Dubbo there has been significant land development in the last eight months and when you add this onto it, it is setting Dubbo up for a very positive future," he said.

"Housing is a proven economic driver and the demand in Dubbo has outweighed supply so to have these developments to help meet that demand is fantastic.

"The retirement home is a very welcome addition to housing options and it is a good location within Keswick Estate."

The retirement village is a $15.3 million development while the DCC 217-lot subdivision has an estimated value of $14 million. Cr Walkom said their long-term value would far exceed that.

"Once they are completed, the economic drive for the city will be in the tens of millions and they will be an important contributor for years to come," he said.

Cr Allan Smith welcomed the approval of the 217-lot subdivision, which is located on a 161-hectare site on the southern side of Cobra Street and is stage five of the Keswick Estate subdivision. He was quick to emphasise its importance for the city.

"I don't think everyone would be aware that the approval has a value of $14 million so it's a big investment in relation to land development. That's not a small amount of money," he said.