8731.0 - Building Approvals, Australia, Nov 2001  
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Feature Article: Largest and fastest growing areas in Australia


This article was published in Building Approvals, Australia (ABS Cat. no 8731.0) November, 2001

INTRODUCTION

During the five years ending June 2001, there has been a steady increase in the number of building approvals across Australia. This increase has been mainly concentrated in the outer areas of the capital cities.

This article presents information on the largest and fastest growing Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) in Australia between the August 1996 Census of Population and Housing and June 2001. The article examines statistics on total new residential approvals and also its components viz. houses and other residential (e.g. flats, units) using data from the Building Approvals Collection.

Table F1 shows the largest growing SLAs, i.e. those that have had the greatest number of residential dwelling unit approvals. Table F2 shows the fastest growing SLAs, i.e. those that have the greatest proportion of residential dwelling unit approvals relative to the base dwelling stock that existed in that SLA at the 1996 Census of Population and Housing. Tables F1 and F2 present growth SLAs in each State and Territory in descending order of the number of approvals for total residential buildings. Growth in houses is shown in the tables for these SLAs. The largest and fastest growing areas for other residential dwellings are shown in tables F3 and F4.

Due to the numerous changes to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (ABS Cat. 1216.0) since 1996 as a result of council boundary changes and amalgamations, data was aggregated into SLAs based on the 2000 ASGC boundaries.

RESULTS

Australian overview

From August 1996 to June 2001 there were 716,862 residential dwelling unit approvals in Australia. This represents a 10.4% increase from the dwelling stock estimated at the 1996 Census of Population and Housing. New South Wales had 227,699 approvals (31.8% of all approvals in Australia) and Victoria 180,623 (25.2%). The Northern Territory recorded the greatest rate of increase (17.5%) while Western Australia (13.7%) and Queensland (12.4%) also had growth rates greater than the national average.

Largest growing SLAs

Liverpool (C), situated in the outer western suburbs of Sydney, was the largest growing SLA in Australia, recording 10,314 residential dwelling unit approvals, an increase of 26.1%. This was followed by Blacktown (C), Baulkham Hills (A) and Sutherland Shire (A) which are also located in outer Sydney areas. New South Wales central coast regions, Gosford, Wyong and Lake Macquarie also figured strongly.

Elsewhere in Australia, significant growth is shown in Casey-Berwick (C), an outer south eastern Melbourne suburb, and Swan (C), located in the outer east metropolitan area of Perth.

House approvals followed a similar pattern to total residential approvals, with significant growth areas being located in the outer metropolitan areas of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

F1 LARGEST GROWING SLAs - August 1996 to June 2001


HOUSES
TOTAL RESIDENTIAL


Area
No. of
houses(a)
No. of
approvals(b)
% growth
No. of
dwellings(a)
No. of
approvals(b)
% growth
New South Wales
Liverpool (C)
29,929
8,773
29.3
39,472
10,314
26.1
Blacktown (C)
66,045
8,252
12.5
74,794
9,805
13.1
Baulkham Hills (A)
34,809
7,283
20.9
37,842
9,338
24.7
Sutherland Shire (A)
52,191
2,319
4.4
69,928
7,936
11.3
Gosford (C)
49,039
4,005
8.2
60,300
7,088
11.8
Wyong
42,174
5,486
13.0
49,148
6,922
14.1
Lake Macquarie
57,405
4,847
8.4
63,879
6,417
10.0
Total New South Wales
1,674,900
131,427
7.8
2,281,701
227,699
10.0
Victoria
Casey (C)-Berwick
13,761
7,439
54.1
14,834
7,782
52.5
Brimbank (C)-Keilor
20,806
4,423
21.3
22,071
5,387
24.4
Port Phillip (C)-West
2,702
584
21.6
12,325
4,344
35.2
Melton (S)-East
1,497
4,155
277.6
1,512
4,197
277.6
Total Victoria
1,381,571
136,405
9.9
1,710,563
180,623
10.6
Queensland
Guanaba-Currumbin Valley
4,445
3,003
67.6
4,902
3,727
76.0
Pine Rivers (S) Balance
8,171
2,982
36.5
8,616
3,339
38.8
Mackay (C)-Pt A
17,765
2,322
13.1
21,722
2,745
12.6
Total Queensland
1,011,017
106,811
10.6
1,249,580
155,167
12.4
South Australia
Tea Tree Gully (C)-North
6,824
1,659
24.3
7,536
1,698
22.5
Port Adelaide Enfield (C)-East
8,151
1,252
15.4
11,196
1,349
12.0
Onkaparinga (C)-South Coast
8,355
1,058
12.7
8,924
1,101
12.3
Total South Australia
470,420
32,217
6.8
600,788
37,145
6.2
Western Australia
Swan (C)
21,796
5,430
24.9
24,339
5,773
23.7
Rockingham (C)
19,900
4,508
22.7
23,439
4,905
20.9
Cockburn (C)
17,308
4,282
24.7
20,811
4,742
22.8
Total Western Australia
532,687
76,428
14.3
661,982
90,447
13.7
Tasmania
Clarence (C)
17,156
664
3.9
18,960
781
4.1
Kingborough (M)-Pt A
8,443
662
7.8
9,256
687
7.4
Launceston (C)-Pt B
20,071
494
2.5
25,029
627
2.5
Total Tasmania
169,448
6,917
4.1
196,189
7,788
4.0
Northern Territory
Palmerston (T) Balance
144
2,139
1,485.4
148
2,770
1,871.6
Litchfield (S)-Pt B
3,331
605
18.2
3,602
612
17.0
City-Inner
43
5
11.6
464
584
125.9
Total Northern Territory
35,836
5,309
14.8
50,374
8,793
17.5
Australian Capital Territory
Ngunnawal
1,236
1,122
90.8
1,946
1,238
68.2
Nicholls
501
1,095
218.6
632
1,172
185.4
Amaroo
221
926
419.0
263
1,008
383.3
Total Australian Capital Territory
86,712
5,980
6.9
112,678
9,200
8.2
Total Australia
5,362,591
501,494
9.4
6,863,855
716,862
10.4

(a) As at 1996 Census.
(b) August 1996 to June 2001.

Fastest growing SLAs

The locations of the fastest growing SLAs in Australia are much more diverse than the largest growing SLAs. Queensland's Fortitude Valley-Inner and Palmerston Balance in the Northern Territory recorded the greatest rates of growth. This was attributed to low base stocks in August 1996.

For house approvals, there are four SLAs in Queensland, three in the Australian Capital Territory, and two in Victoria which grew strongly.


F2 FASTEST GROWING SLAs - August 1996 to June 2001


HOUSES
TOTAL RESIDENTIAL


Area
No. of
houses(a)
No. of
approvals(b)
% growth
No. of
dwellings(a)
No. of
approvals(b)
% growth
New South Wales
Sydney (C)-Remainder
9
1
11.1
5,070
4,519
89.1
Sydney (C)-Inner
16
4
25.0
1,923
1,712
89.0
Camden (A)
9,607
3,828
39.8
10,469
3,968
37.9
Newcastle (C)-Inner
306
14
4.6
1,885
662
35.1
Victoria
Melton (S)-East
1,497
4,155
277.6
1,512
4,197
277.6
Wyndham (C) North-West
174
429
246.6
174
439
252.3
Melbourne (C)-S'bank-D'lands
10
2
20.0
1,225
2,668
217.8
Melbourne (C)-Inner
6
3
50
1,050
1,972
187.8
Queensland
Fortitude Valley-Inner
5
-
-
8
525
6,562.5
Upper Kedron
95
366
385.3
95
366
385.3
Kuraby
500
892
178.4
593
1,050
177.1
Parkinson-Drewvale
740
1,195
161.5
740
1,265
170.9
Wakerley
245
368
150.2
248
368
148.4
South Australia
Roxby Downs (M)
564
439
77.8
685
527
76.9
Salisbury (C) Balance
1,351
435
32.2
1,370
450
32.8
Tea Tree Gully (C)-North
6,824
1,659
24.3
7,536
1,698
22.5
Western Australia
Perth (C)-Inner
3
6
200
144
243
168.8
Perth (C)-Remainder
184
209
113.6
2,898
1,991
68.7
Wanneroo (C)-North-West
6,222
3,034
48.8
6,427
3,458
53.8
Tasmania
Meander Valley (M)-Pt A
2,173
326
15.0
2,576
359
13.9
Latrobe (M)-Pt A
2,748
251
9.1
3,023
262
8.7
Glamorgan/Spring Bay (M)
2,711
224
8.3
2,815
233
8.3
Northern Territory
Palmerston (T) Balance
144
2,139
1,485.4
148
2,770
1,871.6
City-Inner
43
5
11.6
464
584
125.9
Larrakeyah
302
59
19.5
907
514
56.7
Australian Capital Territory
Amaroo
221
926
419
263
1,008
383.3
Dunlop
266
650
244.4
306
659
215.4
Nicholls
501
1,095
218.6
632
1,172
185.4

(a) As at 1996 Census.
(b) August 1996 to June 2001.

Other residential

The largest growing areas for other residential approvals are somewhat different to houses. South Sydney (C), Sydney (C)-Remainder, Willoughby (C), Pt Phillip (C)-West, Melbourne (C)-Remainder are all representative of the growth of other residential approvals in the inner metropolitan areas of Sydney and Melbourne.

F3 LARGEST GROWING SLAs, Other residental


SLA State
No. of
dwellings(a)
No. of
approvals(b)
% growth

South Sydney (C) NSW
36,928
5,887
15.9
Sutherland Shire (A) NSW
17,737
5,617
31.7
Sydney (C)-Remainder NSW
5,061
4,518
89.3
Willoughby (C) NSW
8,387
3,847
45.9
Port Phillip (C)-West Vic.
9,623
3,760
39.1
Bankstown (C) NSW
8,889
3,660
41.2
Parramatta (C) NSW
17,905
3,624
20.2
Melbourne (C)-Remainder Vic.
13,941
3,439
24.7
Holroyd (C) NSW
7,020
3,409
48.6
Gosford (C) NSW
11,261
3,083
27.4

(a) As at 1996 Census.
(b) August 1996 to June 2001

In terms of other residential building, Queensland had the largest number of the fastest growing SLAs. Eight Mile Plains, Calamvale, Kuraby, and Sunnybank Hills are all within close proximity, less than 15 kilometres south of Brisbane. The inner city areas of Fortitude Valley-Inner, Newstead, Melbourne (C)-Southbank-Docklands and Perth (C)-Inner also figure prominently.

F4 FASTEST GROWING SLAs, Other residential


SLA State
No. of
dwellings(a)
No. of
approvals(b)
% growth

Fortitude Valley-Inner Qld
3
525
17,500.0
Eight Mile Plains Qld
144
634
440.3
Calamvale Qld
85
200
235.3
Carindale Qld
91
203
223.1
Melbourne (C)-S'bank-D'lands Vic.
1,215
2,666
219.4
Newstead Qld
461
967
209.8
Wanneroo (C)-North-West WA
205
424
206.8
Melbourne (C)-Inner Vic.
1,044
1,969
188.6
Kuraby Qld
93
158
169.9
Perth (C)-Inner WA
141
237
168.1

(a) As at 1996 Census. (b) August 1996 to June 2001


NOTE: 1996 Census data plus dwelling approvals does not represent a stock of dwellings figure, as demolitions are not included in the analysis, and not all approvals are commenced. The analysis provides an indication of growth.

For further information on this topic contact Roger Mableson on 08 8237 7494.