Last financial year saw 643 DA's lodged, valuing close to $180 million, as well as 590 DA's approved which had a total value close to $145 million.

However, the previous financial year from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 saw 40 more applications lodged and an additional 62 approved.

Council manager city development Paul O'Brien said the reduction in applications lodged is largely due to many of the projects being constructed now.

"Looking at the month-to-month statistics, you can see that there is a slight decline in the number of approvals that we're doing this year compared to last year," he said.

"Last year there was a great body of industrial work that has been approved and those projects are being built now.

"Those developers need to finish the jobs they're working on now and then they'll come back and start another one, which means we will have more next year."

In August the state government identified Wagga as an area of significant growth that will swell to 100,000 residents under its 20-year plan for the region.

Mr O'Brien said the growth of Wagga will largely spin from two major developments rather than relying solely on the property market.

"The health precinct is going to grow and federal and state governments have indicated a strong desire to make use of the regional health centres," he said.

"This will create a health boom, which then leads to health jobs and other regional jobs that spin off that.

"With Bomen now becoming a Special Activation Precinct, the state government is going to put potentially more money into Bomen and produce a whole new planning scheme for approvals out there, which will attract industry to come to Wagga because the approval process will be simpler and all the infrastructure will be there for them, like the transport interface with the rail through the RiFL project.

"All those things will help attract businesses to Wagga and off the back of these and the service industries that provide them, we will be able to grow and move towards that 100,000," he said.

Mr O'Brien said at this stage it will be business as usual but as areas grow, there will be more subdivisions and a greater need for houses to be built annually.

Local developer Daniel Donebus said council is sending a clear message that people living in Wagga will have a range of accommodation, planning and services in the future.

"I think council is looking towards the future and they're considering a balance of options and choices of growing Wagga and move towards 100,000 people," he said.

"They're getting ahead of the demand and making available all these different choices for the future residents.

"It's encouraging having these major investments, like the activation precinct and development zones...particularly when you're looking at a city in a growth phase as well as changes in retail and an area that is impacted by the drought."

Mr Donebus said these plans will mean additional jobs and meet skills shortages.

"This process is taking advantage of benefits, attracting people who can provide additional employment and skills that will be in demand with the new businesses," he said.