Building Approvals
Building approvals
Despite the acknowledged need for a significant increase in housing stock, there is still a lag in building approvals coming through (see figure below). Data for 2026 is to date and hence reflects only the first part of the year. Apartment approvals rose in 2023, eased back, and lifted again in 2025 (to around 720) but remain below pre-COVID levels. House approvals, the dominant type of building in the region, declined from a peak of around 4,000 homes in 2021; after a stronger 2024 (around 3,600), full-year 2025 eased to around 3,100. In comparison, the Committee for the Hunter has called for funding for 40,000 new homes for the region. This data is available by Statistical Local Area 2 (SA2) level, and thus the data presented here includes SA2 areas in the Mid-Coast LGA (see comment in footnotes).
Data source: ABS Building Approvals
The geographic spread of building approvals is reflected in the charts below. The figure shows the cumulative number of building approvals by type since 2016 for the whole of the Hunter. For housing, the dominance of approvals in the outer-middle regions of the Hunter is evident, with house approvals concentrated in the Branxton, Thornton and Morisset areas. The urban areas in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie see a concentration of apartment approvals, with few new house approvals. Mid-density housing (semi-detached, row and terrace houses) is spread over a combination of urban areas and the outer SA2s.
Houses
Apartments
Semi-detached
The Institute for Regional Futures explored the issues surrounding housing in the region at Hunter Insight Series: Building a Healthy Housing Market.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.