Building Approvals Down

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Friday announced that building approvals had dropped in June 2015, due to a decline in approvals for non-detached housing.

This statistic comes as a surprise as Minister for Planning Richard Wynne has been busy scrutinising potential new developments to make sure they are in line with Melbourne's planning and design priorities and expectations.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) building approvals show that the number of dwellings approved fell 1.2 per cent in June 2015, in trend terms, and has fallen for four months.

Dwelling approvals decreased in June in South Australia (4.1 per cent), New South Wales (2.9 per cent), Victoria (1.8 per cent) and Western Australia (0.4 per cent) but increased in the Australian Capital Territory (14.6 per cent), Northern Territory (8.7 per cent), Queensland (0.2 per cent) and Tasmania (0.1 per cent) in trend terms.

In trend terms, approvals for private sector houses were flat in June. Private sector house approvals rose in New South Wales (2.0 per cent), Queensland (0.3 per cent) and South Australia (0.2 per cent) but fell in Victoria (1.3 per cent) and Western Australia (1.0 per cent).

The value of total building approved fell 0.9 per cent in June, in trend terms, and has fallen for four months. The value of residential building fell 1.0 per cent while non-residential building fell 0.6 per cent in trend terms.

The Minister for Planning, Mr Richard Wynne, has approved 19 new multi-unit developments in Melbourne's inner CBD area, including Little Projects' Lorimer St development which has caught hype amongst potential buyers and other developers alike.