ABS releases new Building Approvals "Story Map"

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released today a new interactive "Story Map", highlighting Australia's top growth areas for new residential dwellings approved in 2019.

"The ten largest growth areas for total dwellings approved in 2019 were urban fringe areas (25 - 46 km from the state's central business district (CBD)) or inner-city areas (1 - 6 km from the state's CBD) in Melbourne and Sydney, with Melbourne having seven of the top ten," said Daniel Rossi, Director of Construction Statistics at the ABS.

"Areas with the highest number of houses approved were all in urban fringe regions (25 - 46 km from their state's CBD) in New South Wales and Victoria."

Five of the ten largest growth areas for other residential dwellings approved (i.e. townhouses and apartments) were inner-city areas (within 6 km of the state's CBD).

Riverstone - Marsden Park (NSW) had the most houses approved (2,142), while Southbank (Vic.) had the most other residential dwellings approved (1,445).

The Story Map is the first of its kind to be released by the ABS and is a new approach in presenting Building Approvals data in graphically interesting ways. The interactive tool summarises the Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2s) that had the largest number of dwellings approved in 2019, and allows users to find data for a particular region of interest.

"The Story Map will assist government and the community to better understand where growth in housing, and therefore population, is occurring. This data can inform key policy areas, such as planning, infrastructure and the environment," said Mr Rossi.

Users can access the Story Map through the following link: Building Approvals Story Map