1308.8 - In fACT - Statistical Information on the ACT and Region, Aug 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/08/2009   
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FEATURE ARTICLE: DWELLINGS IN THE ACR


INTRODUCTION

This article presents statistics on the number of dwellings in the Australian Capital Region (ACR) from the ABS Census of Population and Housing (Census) and from the Building Approvals Collection (Building Approvals). Building Approvals collects data from relevant authorities approval processes for the construction of buildings. The article is structured to provide information on both the stock of dwellings and flow of new dwellings with data sourced from the Census and Building Approvals respectively.

The ACR comprises the ACT and the 17 surrounding Local Government Areas (LGAs) - Map and Population of the Australian Capital Region


CENSUS DWELLINGS

Stock of private dwellings

According to the 2006 Census, there were approximately 240,750 private dwellings in the ACR with 55% of these in the ACT (131,380 dwellings) and 45% in the selected NSW LGAs (109,370). The majority of private dwellings in the ACT were occupied on Census Night (94% or 122,900 dwellings). However, there were only 82% or 89,160 dwellings occupied on Census Night in the selected NSW LGAs. The LGAs of Eurobodalla and Bega Valley had a high proportion of unoccupied private dwellings (32% and 19% respectively) which can be attributed to the large number of holiday homes in these areas.

Between 1986 and 2006, the number of private dwellings in Australia increased by 45% (or 2.6 million dwellings). For the ACR the number of private dwellings increased by 51% (or 81,190 dwellings), with the ACT having a greater increase (55% or 46,380 dwellings) than the selected NSW LGAs (47% or 34,810 dwellings).

Count of private dwellings in the ACR - 2006 Census of Population and Housing

Total private dwellings(a)
Occupied private dwellings(b)
Separate house
Other dwelling(c)
Total
Separate house
Other dwelling(c)
Total

ACT SSDs
North Canberra
10 178
8 936
19 115
9 459
7 985
17 444
Belconnen
27 117
6 280
33 398
25 794
5 672
31 466
Woden Valley
9 559
4 645
14 205
9 000
4 185
13 185
Weston Creek-Stromlo
7 744
1 505
9 249
7 347
1 380
8 727
Tuggeranong(d)
27 997
3 923
31 919
26 898
3 607
30 505
South Canberra
6 307
5 351
11 658
5 811
4 664
10 475
Gungahlin-Hall
8 213
3 622
11 835
7 841
3 259
11 100
Total ACT SSDs
97 115
34 262
131 379
92 150
30 752
122 902
Selected NSW LGAs
Queanbeyan (C)
10 059
5 058
15 117
9 493
4 505
13 998
Palerang (A)
5 095
345
5 440
4 295
246
4 541
Boorowa (A)
1 273
58
1 333
907
44
951
Goulburn-Mulwaree (A)
10 214
1 692
11 906
8 827
1 371
10 198
Harden (A)
1 712
51
1 763
1 396
41
1 437
Upper Lachlan Shire (A)
3 486
152
3 638
2 652
108
2 760
Yass Valley (A)
5 110
360
5 469
4 530
303
4 836
Young (A)
4 578
612
5 194
4 045
532
4 577
Bega Valley (A)
12 509
3 006
15 515
10 407
2 220
12 630
Eurobodalla (A)
17 367
3 882
21 249
12 139
2 396
14 535
Bombala (A)
1 332
48
1 380
1 006
36
1 042
Cooma-Monaro (A)
4 188
563
4 749
3 530
367
3 897
Snowy River (A)
3 103
1 671
4 774
2 267
1 385
3 652
Cootamundra (A)
3 110
290
3 398
2 720
217
2 937
Gundagai (A)
1 517
104
1 622
1 318
95
1 413
Tumut Shire (A)
4 606
563
5 169
3 954
429
4 383
Tumbarumba (A)
1 548
109
1 657
1 282
93
1 375
Total selected NSW LGAs
90 807
18 564
109 373
74 768
14 388
89 162
Total ACR
187 922
52 826
240 752
166 918
45 140
212 064

(a) Includes unoccupied private dwellings; excludes non-private dwellings such as hotels, motels, boarding houses, private hotel, hospitals, aged care accommodation.
(b) Excludes non-private dwellings, unoccupied private dwellings.
(c) Includes semi-detched row or terrace houses, townhouses, flats, units or apartments and other dwellings.
(d) Includes details for Remainder of ACT which are very small.
Source: 2006 Census of Population and Housing.
Note: New South Wales: Cities (C) and Areas (A).



Dwelling growth

Between 1986 and 2006, the number of private dwellings in Australia increased by 45%, while the number of people living in private dwellings increased by only 28%. In the ACR, during the same period, private dwellings increased at a higher rate (51%) while the number of people living in private dwellings increased by 28%. This trend has been more pronounced in the ACT, with a 55% growth in private dwellings compared to a 29% growth in people living in private dwellings. In the selected NSW LGAs, there was a 47% growth in private dwellings and a 26% growth in people living in private dwellings. The higher rate of growth in dwelling stock and smaller households can be linked to:
  • the steady decline in the average number of people per occupied private dwelling mainly due to families having on average fewer children and an increase in lone persons and couples only households; and
  • an increase in the proportion of private dwellings that were unoccupied on Census Night due to the prevalence of second- or holiday-homes.
CENSUS DWELLING NUMBERS
Graph: CENSUS DWELLING NUMBERS



Dwelling type

Based on 2006 Census data, separate houses were the most common dwelling structure in Australia accounting for 74% of all private dwellings, this proportion has decreased over the last few decades due to increased construction of higher density housing.

For the ACR, the proportion of separate houses declined from 81% (129,115) in 1986 to 78% (187,920) in 2006, with the ACT decreasing from 81% (68,825) in 1986 to 74% (97,110) in 2006, but the selected NSW LGAs had a small increase from 81% (60,290) in 1986 to 83% (90,800) in 2006. In the ACR in 2006, other dwellings were comprised of:
  • 24,360 semi-detached, row/terrace, townhouses (18,070 in ACT and 6,290 in selected NSW LGAs);
  • 25,100 flats, units or apartments (15,850 in ACT and 9,250 in selected NSW LGAs); and
  • 3,370 other dwellings including those not stated (340 in ACT and 3,030 in selected NSW LGAs).


Four or more bedroom dwellings increase

Nationally, the average size of a new house has increased by 32.7% (181m2 in 1987-88 to 239m2 in 2007-08). For the ACT, the average size of a new house has increased by 56.2% (165m2 in 1987-88 to 257m2 in 2007-08). An indication from the Census of the increase in the size of homes is the growing proportion of dwellings with four or more bedrooms. Nationally, from 1986 to 2006, dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms increased from 15% to 28% of all private dwellings. For the ACR over the 20 year period, dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms increased from 23% to 34% of all private dwellings, with ACT increasing from 26% to 36% and selected NSW LGAs increasing from 19% to 31%.

NUMBER OF BEDROOMS IN DWELLINGS
Graph: NUMBER OF BEDROOMS IN DWELLINGS



BUILDING APPROVALS

New residential dwelling approvals

New residential dwelling approvals over the three financial years to 2008-09 could potentially increase the stock of private dwellings in the ACR by approximately 11,130 dwellings (4.6%), with the increase in ACT being approximately 7,380 dwellings (5.6%) and the increase in selected NSW LGAs being approximately 3,750 dwellings (3.4%).

While residential dwelling approvals has remained fairly stable in the ACR over the three financial years (3,750 in 2006-07, 3,660 in 2007-08 and 3,720 in 2008-09), there has been a steady increase in the ACT (2,240 in 2006-07, 2,340 in 2007-08 and 2,800 in 2008-09) and a decline in the selected NSW LGAs (1,510 in 2006-07, 1,320 in 2007-08 and 920 in 2008-09).

NEW DWELLING APPROVALS IN THE ACR, Private sector
Graph: NEW DWELLING APPROVALS IN THE ACR, Private sector


Of the 11,130 dwelling approvals in the ACR, 60% were for houses and 40% for other dwelling types such as flats and townhouses. While the ACT dwelling approvals consisted of 55% for houses and 45% for other dwelling types, the dwelling approvals for selected NSW LGAs comprised 71% for houses and 29% for other dwelling types.

New dwelling approvals in the ACR(a)

2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Houses(b)
Total other dwellings(c)
Total dwellings
Houses(b)
Total other dwellings(c)
Total dwellings
Houses(b)
Total other dwellings(c)
Total dwellings

ACT SSDs
North Canberra
147
296
443
65
353
418
50
306
356
Belconnen
210
455
665
257
352
609
498
568
1 069
Woden Valley
42
10
52
78
39
117
54
99
156
Weston Creek-Stromlo
37
19
56
26
4
30
16
28
44
Tuggeranong(d)
81
20
101
95
134
229
84
112
196
South Canberra
48
141
189
77
160
237
56
152
208
Gungahlin-Hall
699
39
740
686
8
699
730
40
770
Total ACT SSDs
1 264
980
2 246
1 284
1 050
2 339
1 488
1 305
2 799
Private sector
1 122
980
2 104
1 180
1 050
2 235
1 407
1 311
2 718
Public sector
142
-
142
104
-
104
81
-
81
Selected NSW LGAs
Queanbeyan (C)
91
198
290
75
91
176
35
137
172
Palerang (A)
169
22
191
82
8
91
51
2
55
Boorowa (A)
17
-
17
31
-
31
8
6
14
Goulburn-Mulwaree (A)
82
-
82
116
4
121
98
5
103
Harden (A)
8
2
10
4
-
4
1
-
1
Upper Lachlan Shire (A)
37
-
37
48
-
48
20
-
20
Yass Valley (A)
93
4
97
88
6
94
104
-
105
Young (A)
40
5
45
50
37
87
45
2
49
Bega Valley (A)
111
47
160
90
26
116
119
6
127
Eurobodalla (A)
201
123
324
163
22
187
91
10
103
Bombala (A)
2
-
2
2
-
2
2
-
2
Cooma-Monaro (A)
22
-
22
31
-
32
37
4
41
Snowy River (A)
33
26
59
25
24
49
17
6
32
Cootamundra (A)
14
61
75
34
21
55
20
-
21
Gundagai (A)
17
-
17
23
-
23
20
2
22
Tumut Shire (A)
38
35
73
52
118
170
43
2
45
Tumbarumba (A)
10
-
10
21
12
33
10
-
10
Total selected NSW LGAs
985
523
1 511
935
369
1 319
721
182
922
Private sector
975
504
1 480
933
348
1 283
721
178
901
Public sector
10
21
31
4
32
36
3
18
21
Total ACR
2 249
1 503
3 757
2 219
1 419
3 658
2 209
1 487
3 721
Private sector
2 097
1 484
3 584
2 113
1 398
3 518
2 128
1 489
3 619
Public sector
152
21
173
108
32
140
84
18
102

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Mainly compiled from permits issued by local government authorities and other principal certifying authorities or contracts let by commonwealth, state, semi-government and local government authorities. Excludes non-residential buildings which are primarily intended for purposes other than long-term residential purposes.
(b) Relates to separate dwelling units.
(c) Relates to dwellings containing more than one dwelling unit such as semi-detached, row or terrace houses or townhouses, flats, units, apartments, etc.
(d) Includes details for Remainder of ACT.
Source: Building Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0).
Note: New South Wales: Cities (C) and Areas (A).



Location of new dwelling approvals

The majority of new dwelling approvals in the ACT over the three financial years to 2008-09 were in the following districts:
  • Belconnen with around 2,340 dwellings, mainly in the suburbs of Bruce (830 dwellings), Macgregor (530 dwellings), Belconnen Town Centre (465 dwellings) and Dunlop (210 dwellings);
  • Gungahlin-Hall with around 2,210 dwellings, mainly in Harrison (780 dwellings), Franklin (390 dwellings), Gungahlin (275 dwellings), Forde (190 dwellings) and in other areas of Gungahlin-Hall (575 dwellings); and
  • North Canberra with around 1,220 dwellings, mainly in Canberra City (370 dwellings), Turner (200 dwellings), Watson (140 dwellings), Ainslie (140 dwellings), Braddon (115 dwellings) and Lyneham (105 dwellings).

The majority of new dwelling approvals in the selected NSW LGAs over the three financial years to 2008-09 were in the LGAs of Queanbeyan (640 dwellings), Eurobodalla (610 dwellings), Bega Valley (400 dwellings), Palerang (340 dwellings), Goulburn-Mulwaree (310 dwellings), Yass Valley (300 dwellings) and Tumut Shire (290 dwellings).