WA has led the charge with a rise in building approvals in June, fresh figures reveal today.
There was a 21.1 per cent rise in building approvals in WA last month, compared to a national rise of 9.3 per cent.
But the recovery followed an 11 per cent decline in May, taking the latest tally of 11,086 new construction projects to a level lower than where it was in April.
Still, the latest monthly increase was stronger than a market forecast for an eight per cent rise.
Approvals in the volatile apartment-building sector surged 27.7 per cent while detached housing numbers increased by a much smaller 4.9 per cent.
On an annual basis, overall building approvals are down 14.3 per cent.
Apartment building approvals are also 45.7 per cent weaker compared with a year earlier.
Construction activity was also more robust in Victoria, where approvals rose by 17.4 per cent, followed by an 11.3 per cent increase in South Australia.
NSW had a more modest recovery of 3.4 per cent.
Building approvals went backwards in Tasmania, shrinking by 7.6 per cent, and Queensland, which suffered a 1.9 per cent decline.
Source : www.thewest.com.au