In the 2015/16 financial year, the number of development applications approved in Dubbo was at a seven year record. But for the first two months of this financial year, the number of applications given the green light by Dubbo Regional Council has been below last year’s figures.

However deputy premier Troy Grant said eight weeks of figures prove nothing.

For August 2016 there were 63 development applications approved worth $15.7 million. During the same month the previous year 76 applications were given the green light, with a total worth of $24.2 million.

So far in the financial year 140 applications have been approved by the Dubbo branch, 20 less than the 160 in the first two months of 2015/16.

Mr Shields has blamed the NSW government and the amalgamation of the former Dubbo and Wellington councils.

“It’s time the state government starts looking at Dubbo and looking at giving us some extra incentives,” Mr Shields said.

With Sydney about to hit the 10 million population mark, Mr Shields said it was an opportunity to encourage city slickers to embrace a country change.

Government departments should also consider decentralisation, he said

Mr Grant said the figures were not ‘doom and gloom’ at all.

"I am in close contact with our regional council and I’m aware that growth and development remains strong and the outlook for the region is very bright, with a surge of development applications expected in the coming months," he said.

"It's a bit rich to predict doom and gloom based on eight weeks of figures, especially when the region is actually powering ahead.”

There had been some major developments announced in recent months, Mr Grant said.