The head of the ACT's Land Development Agency has said the agency is releasing enough land to provide for demand of about 5000 new residents each year, after releasing land for up to 4515 new dwellings this year.
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The agency has released between 3299 and 4354 blocks of land for free-standing homes each fiscal year for the past four years, but has faced criticisms for not releasing enough land in Canberra, driving up the cost of housing.
But LDA chief David Dawes said the agencies' staff had worked very hard over the past year to "make sure that we are meeting the ever-increasing demand for land".
"In 2016 the LDA released – 4515 dwelling sites, including 1365 greenfield dwellings in new suburbs like Moncrieff, Throsby and Coombs," he said.
The agency also released 100,000 square metres of land for commercial development, about 80,000 square metres for industry and nearly 200,000 square metres for "community" sites in the 2016 calendar year.
Mr Dawes said the agency was "working towards" of 4550 blocks for freestanding homes in 2016-17, targets which were met in eight of the past 11 years.
"Meeting our ambitious land release targets is always a challenge, one that is affected by many variables, but we are very hopeful of continuing our excellent land release record," Mr Dawes said.
"In the past decade LDA land releases have exceeded the actual underlying demand of 27,000 dwelling releases by more than 30 per cent."
Mr Dawes said the agency would also start releasing new sites early next year in Taylor in Gungahlin and Strathnairn in West Belconnen, as well as more infill sites on Northbourne Avenue, in Forrest and Greenway.
