Tasmanian home building plans have surged.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Councils approved 321 new dwellings in July - up by 50 per cent from 214 in June and the most in a month since November 2018 - according to seasonally adjusted figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Approvals topped 300 in each of March and April, despite coronavirus restrictions intensifying and the North-West hospitals outbreak in April.
They slumped to 239 and 214 in May and June respectively, possibly as a result of economic uncertainty and movement restrictions due to coronavirus coupled with the lag between lodging plans and council approvals.
National approvals increased by 12 per cent in July, the ABS said.
"The July results likely reflect improved consumer sentiment in May on the back of falling COVID-19 cases and easing of restrictions," ABS director of construction statistics Daniel Rossi said.
Tasmania had the nation's strongest increase in approvals in July, followed by New South Wales (32 per cent) and Victoria (9.3 per cent).
Building and Construction Minister Elise Archer said it was encouraging to see a significant increase in building approvals in Tasmania during July.
She said July approvals were 28.4 per cent higher than one year earlier.
"Our record $3.1 billion construction blitz over two years will help build ourselves out of the COVID-19 pandemic," Ms Archer said.
"This investment will underpin around 15,000 jobs, supporting our vital building and construction industry and local jobs when it is needed most."