The Tamworth region is set to ride the wave of an increased build spend as Development Application (DA) values soar.
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At the start of the year, Tamworth Regional Council saw a drop in the number of applications getting lodged, attributed to the drought and then compounded by the start of the pandemic.
Since rainfall has started filling up dams and rivers with a surge in HomeBuilder-related applications, numbers are now back on par with last year's figures.
But the resulting projects will be worth even more, with the value of each plan higher than ever.
Council's development manager Sam Lobsey said this financial year, there had been a 34 per cent increase in the value of applications for roughly the same number of jobs compared to last year.
So far, there has been 258 DAs approved, with a total value of $79 million.
About $42 million of that figure is for residential work.
Last year's total was 386 applications with a total value of $89 million, with $35.1 million in residential builds.
While noting HomeBuilder has had a positive impact in offering incentives to build, there is still an end date.
"HomeBuilder has contributed to the increase in residential applications," he said.
"The type of development that Homebuilder has attracted has been standard single dwellings and residential alterations and additions."
Mr Lobsey said Blueprint 100 will act as the saviour, keeping developing confidence strong in the region after the government's schemes run dry.
"There is no doubt a renewed confidence in the development industry is in our region which has been encouraged by Homebuilder, however Homebuilder has an end date and was not accessible to all."
He said council remained committed to maintaining DA momentum through the plan, which he said would create more jobs, and deliver skilled workers, livability and affordability to the region.
"These deliverable actions from Blueprint 100 will support continued growth in the region," he said.
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With some exciting projects in the works, he said the future looked promising, with major DAs recently approved or almost ready to be submitted.
"There are currently three regional significant solar farm applications being considered by council's assessment staff," he said.
He noted the Manilla Solar Farm application, which was approved at the end of last year.
