Council data indicated in the 2014/15 financial year, 92 construction certificates were issued for new dwellings in the Griffith Local Government Area, compared to 64 in 2013/14 and 51 in 2012/13. 

Neil Southorn, council’s director of sustainable development, said council was taking steps to provide more land in Collina, which had recently jumped in value.

“Council recognised some time ago that supply of land at Collina for residential land was tightening,” Mr Southorn said. 

“Whilst the land has been zoned for residential development for some time, it is not being developed or sold on for development.

“The tightening of supply is partly because the number of vacant blocks is reducing as more houses are built.”

A recent report from the NSW Valuer General found land values in Collina had increased by 18.97 per cent, putting it on par with parts of Sydney like Lane Cove at 19.75 per cent, Sutherland at 18 per cent and ahead of North Sydney which increased by 14.43 per cent.

On Sunday, Griffith Business Chamber president Pat Pittavino told The Area News Griffith City Council needed to embrace the momentum of the local property market and release land where people wanted to buy.

Mr Southorn said council resolved last year to prepare a revised staging plan to assist land owners who want to develop or to sell their land to developers, after a review of infrastructure requirements such as roads, water supply, sewer and stormwater drainage.

“Council is also in discussions with representatives of the NSW Government on the vacant Crown land at Collina to see if there are options there,” he said.

Griffith mayor John Dal Broi said he was aware of the call fro land in Collina and council was working on “getting land out there”.

“We’ve been talking to developers,” Councillor Dal Broi said. “But it’s up to developers, not council, to carry out development.”

Mr Southorn said council was “undertaking due diligence” on council-owned land at Lake Wyangan, which had approval for residential development, to be prepared for when developers expressed an interest in acquiring it.

“There are other approved subdivisions at Lake Wyangan that have not yet been developed,” Mr Southorn said.