Building approvals lifted Australia-wide during September, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The new seasonally adjusted figures show that the total number of dwellings approved rose 4.4 per cent in September to 14,842, following a 3.9 per cent fall in August.
The rise was driven by increases across all dwelling types. Approvals to build standalone houses reached 9,745 approved in September, to the highest level since August 2022, while approvals for multi-unit dwellings rose by 4.7 per cent. The latter, however, remain at subdued levels following a 13.5 per cent fall in August.
Despite mixed results across the states, approvals for standalone houses across Australia rose 2.2 per cent, to be 16.7 per cent higher than September 2023.
South Australia recorded the largest increase of the states at 10.3 per cent. Western Australia also continued to rise, approving 1,661 private sector houses, its highest number since May 2021.
Multi-unit dwelling approvals rose 4.7 per cent (4,653 dwellings), to be 12.2 per cent lower than one year ago.
The September result was driven by a rise in approvals for high-density apartments. There were 1,815 apartments approved in nine or more storey blocks in September, in original terms, compared to 1,201 in August.
The value of total residential building was flat ($8.04 billion) in August, due to a 0.2 per cent rise in the value of new residential building approved ($6.88 billion) and a 1.3 per cent fall in alterations and additions ($1.16 billion), in seasonally adjusted terms.