Adelaide’s build and bust hotspots have been revealed, as new data shines a light on the SA suburbs to have experienced the greatest increase in building approvals, and the biggest drop in construction plans.
The Munno Para West - Angle Vale area is leading Adelaide’s construction approval growth charge, with 414 more building approvals in 2025 than in 2024.
More than 1320 approvals were granted in 2025, compared with 908 in 2024.
Hindmarsh - Brompton also saw a spike – their approvals up 332 to 371 from just 39 last year.
And Prospect also saw a significant jump – its 270 approvals for 2025 up from just 58 last year.
Will Frogley, CEO of the Master Builders Association of South Australia. Photography by Kelly Barnes
Master Builders SA CEO Will Frogley said, for the month of October, a total of 1256 new homes in SA were approved – 11.2 per cent higher than the previous month.
“This is great news that strengthens confidence in our housing sector in South Australia, but it is vital that we keep building on these results,” he said.
“Ongoing support for our builders – through reducing red tape and tackling the skills shortage – will be essential to sustaining this momentum.
“Strengthening the labour market requires us to invest in training and actively recruit more talent into the industry.”
But development wasn’t up everywhere, with building approvals in Norwood down by 120 on last year.
There were just 24 approvals granted this year, compared with 144 last year.
And while activity in the north is generally booming, approvals are down in Davoren Park and Gawler southern region, with approvals down to 202 from 289 in the former and dropping from 245 to 169 in the latter.
Oscar Stanley of the UDIA
Urban Development Institute of Australia national president Oscar Stanley said building diversity was critical to ensure buyers varied needs were catered for.
“State Governments who don’t maintain a steady supply of detached houses will inevitably fall short of their housing targets and likely see housing affordability ability worsen,” he said.
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“In addition to increased supply, diversity of housing stock is also crucial to improving affordability.
“Governments need to be facilitating a mix of low, medium and high-density housing options so people can choose what best suits their needs.
“A reliance on densification will not solve the housing issue”
Metricon chief executive Brad Duggan.
Metricon chief executive Brad Duggan said Australia can reach its 1.2 million homes target by mid 2029 but only if it accelerates land release, streamlines planning processes and guarantees infrastructure delivery.
“The nation doesn’t have a construction capacity problem,” he said.
“Builders can deliver homes quickly.
“What we need is the land and approvals pipeline to match that pace.
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“If governments, councils and industry pull in the same direction, this target is absolutely within reach.
“Housing must be treated as a national economic priority, because it is.”
Organisation are critical pathways to fill the 10,000 trades jobs required to keep a constant pipeline of work in our industry.”
Australia's Young builder of the year Luke Callery of Callery Building working on a home at Hawthorn. Picture: Keryn Stevens
Stepney-based Callery Building’s Luke Callery, who was recently announced Australia’s best young builder at the Master Builders Association National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards said what he felt was most needed in reaching construction guidelines was skilled builders.
“There’s probably enough builders out there to do the work, but there’s a lack of skilled builders.
“There are a lot of people who haven’t kept up with new requirements, building code changes and regulations and I think there are a lot of people who don’t understand it, and I think that’s one of the problems with the industry in that there’s a lack of education around what changes are and how to implement them.
“You can be a great carpenter but that doesn’t mean you know how to run a successful and sustainable business, and that has ramifications for your clients expecting you to deliver on time and on budget.”
- with Nathan Mawby
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