In brief
In Canberra, Australian authorities announced that total dwelling approvals rose to 17,948 in September, up 5.1 %. The growth was driven by a sharp increase in apartment approvals, especially in New South Wales, while private‑sector houses saw a modest decline. Value of building approvals jumped 13 % driven by a 45.9 % rise in non‑residential approvals, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In Canberra on 2 November, Australian officials reported that the total number of dwellings approved in September rose 5.1 % to 17,948, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The uptick was largely driven by a sharp increase in apartment approvals, with the country’s capital city kayaking the largest jump in the nation.
Apartment approvals climbed 25.6 % to 4,129 units, a rise that was particularly prominent in New South Wales where approvals jumped from 901 in August to 1,995 in September. The change marks the state’s most substantial single‑month increase in recent months, underscoring a renewed pace of residential development in the area.
Beyond the apartment surge, private‑sector dwellings excluding houses rose 16.6 % to 6,579 approvals in September, recovering from a 21.7 % fall in August. However, the figure remains 20.5 % below the level recorded a year earlier. Daniel Rossi, head of construction statistics at the ABS, said the data showed a modest recovery but that the sector still operated at a lower base than a year previously.
Private‑sector house approvals declined 5.3 % to 10,432 units, the largest monthly dip since August 2025. Despite the decline, the numbers stayed 9.6 % above the September 2025 level and passed the 10,000‑unit threshold for the ninth straight month, giving evidence of a resilient house‑building market.
Townhouse approvals also found growth, increasing 8.3 % to 2,792 in September after a 19.4 % fall in August. The rebound suggests a market balancing a mix of urban and suburban developments, with townhouses continuing to be a popular option amid shifting demographic preferences.
Valuation data highlighted a 13 % rise in the total value of building approvals, reaching 19.02 billion Australian dollars (about 13.37 billion U.S. dollars). Non‑residential building approvals saw an especially large 45.9 % jump, totalling 7.96 billion Australian dollars. In contrast, residential building approvals fell 2.8 % to 11.06 billion Australian dollars.
Overall, the ABS figures illustrate a mixed market where new units were coming online amid a dip in house approvals, while non‑residential construction surged. The data also point to a sustained demand for apartment and townhouse projects, keeping the wall of housing decisions in Australia firmly above the levels seen a year ago.
