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.

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.

Former Dubbo deputy mayor Ben Shields said the figures showed the NSW government needed to intervene to boost Dubbo’s grow.

However, REINSW Orana Division acting chairperson Bob Berry said they city was booming.

“All indicators in the economy, particularly in the property sector, are that Dubbo is performing very strongly, with house and unit prices at record heights,” Mr Berry said.

There was consumer confidence in the industry, he said, which highlighted the strength of Dubbo’s market,.

“People don’t buy houses unless they’re confident  it will get a good return for them,” Mr Berry said.

The number of development applications approved so far was not data to base the growth of the city on, he said.

“In regards to DA approvals, you have never been able to look at one month or two months and make an assessment of the economy based on the figures, because they fluctuate,” he said.

“You might have one DA approved for Orana Mall that’s worth $25 million one month and then ten applications for garages.”

Mr Shields has called for an increased push from the NSW government to have the Rural Fire Service Headquarters relocated to Dubbo.

The drop in development applications would be rectified, Mr Shields said, as the RFS would become Dubbo’s largest employer.

“This is about getting the ‘R’ back into the Rural Fire Service,” he said.  

“It is absurd that the Rural Fire Service Headquarters is located in Sydney – it causes a number of significant issues for the service.  Dubbo offers the best spot in NSW as we are centrally located, have great air access to Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne and we recently saw the NBN go online.”

Mr Shields said he was calling on Deputy Premier and Dubbo MP Troy Grant to “flex some muscle in government” and get the decentralisation project to happen.