1345.4 - SA Stats, Feb 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/02/2011   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

CONSTRUCTION


BUILDING APPROVALS

The number of dwelling units approved in South Australia (in trend terms) has fallen for the seventh consecutive month with 880 approvals recorded in December 2010. This represents a decrease of 2.3% over the estimate for November (900), and 14.9% lower than at the same time in the previous year (1,034). Nationally, the number of dwelling units approved has risen marginally (0.5%) for the second consecutive month. The estimate of 13,437 in December 2010 is 13.0% below the peak recorded earlier in the year (15,438 approvals in February 2010).

The trend estimate for the number of private sector houses approved in South Australia fell (2.4%) to 621 in December 2010. Private sector house approvals as a proportion of total dwelling units has risen from a low of 63.0% in June 2010 to be 70.6% in December 2010.

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED, Trend, South Australia
Graph: DWELLING UNITS APPROVED, Trend, South Australia


In the year to December 2010, the total number of dwelling units approved in South Australia rose by 7.5%. Increases were recorded in four of the seven Statistical Divisions (SD) with the largest increase in the Murray Lands SD (up 56.7%). This follows a 13.9% decrease for this SD in the preceding twelve months to December 2009.

The largest decrease in dwelling units approved in the year to December 2010, occurred in the South East SD (down 15.2%).

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED, by Statistical Division, Original, South Australia

Year ended December 2009
Year ended December 2010
Dwelling units
Change over previous year
Dwelling units
Change over previous year
no.
%
no.
%

Adelaide
8 258
-7.4
8 769
6.2
Outer Adelaide
1 495
-15.4
1 656
10.8
Yorke and Lower North
488
-17.6
545
11.7
Murray Lands
441
-13.9
691
56.7
South East
422
-20.1
358
-15.2
Eyre
261
-19.4
253
-3.1
Northern
344
-32.3
320
-7.0
South Australia
11 709
-11.0
12 592
7.5

Source: Building Approvals, Australia - data available on request


Map of South Australia's Statistical Divisions (PDF 3.083MB)


*DATA NOTES

Widespread flooding in Queensland has had no impact on the collation of these statistics for December 2010. The January 2011 release of Building Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0) is expected to be impacted, both in terms of actual approvals occurring in the month and due to difficulties in collecting data for flood affected areas. Data notes in that publication will provide more details on the nature of those impacts.

The trend estimates should be interpreted with caution as the underlying behaviour of building approvals may be affected by initiatives within the Government stimulus package, which included the "Building the Education Revolution" (BER) program and the Social Housing Initiative as well as other developments associated with global economic conditions. From June 2009 to February 2010 BER impacts were quantified and removed from the trend estimates because of its short term nature. From March 2010 these impacts are no longer removed from the trend estimates as their effect has significantly declined. For more details on trend estimates, please see paragraphs 20 to 23 of the explanatory notes.


CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE

In the September quarter 2010, the total value of building work done (in trend terms)* in South Australia rose to $1,379.8m, an increase of 1.5% over the June quarter 2010.

Between the December quarters 2007 and 2009, the trend* estimate for the value of engineering work done rose sharply ($660.8m to $1,223.1m). Since this time, the value of engineering work has fallen to $1,065.3m in the September quarter 2010.

The upsurge in engineering construction between the December quarters 2007 and 2009 was the focus of the feature article presented in the April 2010 issue of SA Stats.

VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE*, Chain volume measures - SA: Trend
Graph: VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE*, Chain volume measures - SA: Trend



*INTRODUCTION OF NEW BASE YEAR

A new base year, 2008-09, has been introduced into the chain volume estimates which has resulted in revisions to growth rates in subsequent periods. In addition, the chain volume estimates have been re-referenced to 2008-09, thereby preserving additivity in the quarters after the reference year. Re-referencing affects the levels of, but not the movements in, chain volume estimates.