Data report · Latest release
South Australia approved 1,471 dwellings in May 2026, a 10.9% seasonally adjusted rise on April, and was the only state to record a significant monthly increase, according to ABS Building Approvals Australia (Cat. 8731.0) Table 07.
Every figure on this page is drawn from a public authority release and linked to its primary source. The report is refreshed each time the Australian Bureau of Statistics or PlanSA publishes new data. No forecasts, no interpretation, no proprietary BuildPilot data. Journalists and analysts are welcome to cite these numbers with attribution to both BuildPilot and the underlying source.
Building approvals are the earliest signal of construction pipeline in the ABS statistical suite. A dwelling is counted as approved when the required planning and building consents have been issued. Figures below are drawn from the ABS monthly Building Approvals release (Cat. 8731.0) and the SA Treasury Building Approvals bulletin.
May 2026
SA total dwellings approved
The only Australian state to record a significant monthly increase in the ABS May 2026 release.
ABS Building Approvals Australia (Cat. 8731.0), May 2026Released: 8 July 2026
May 2026
SA private sector houses approved
Detached houses component of the total dwelling figure.
ABS Building Approvals Australia (Cat. 8731.0), May 2026Released: 8 July 2026
12 months to Feb 2026
SA approvals, year to Feb 2026
Rolling 12-month total published by SA Treasury.
SA Treasury Building Approvals Bulletin, August 2025Released: August 2025 bulletin
Commencements count dwellings where physical construction has started. Completions count dwellings that have been finished and are available for occupation. Both are drawn from the ABS quarterly Building Activity release (Cat. 8752.0). Because the release is quarterly, movements are typically reported against the equivalent quarter of the prior year.
March 2026 quarter
SA dwelling commencements
Quarterly starts figure from the ABS building activity release.
ABS Building Activity Australia (Cat. 8752.0), March 2026 quarterReleased: 8 July 2026
March 2026 quarter
SA dwelling completions
Quarterly completions figure from the ABS building activity release.
ABS Building Activity Australia (Cat. 8752.0), March 2026 quarterReleased: 8 July 2026
12 months to March 2026
SA annual completions
Highest annual dwelling completions on record for South Australia.
The Indian Sun coverage of ABS Building Activity releaseReleased: 10 July 2026
12 months to March 2026
SA annual commencements
Rolling 12-month starts figure.
The Indian Sun coverage of ABS Building Activity releaseReleased: 10 July 2026
South Australia's planning system operates under three main assessment pathways defined in the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act. Each pathway carries a statutory decision timeframe. PlanSA publishes annual compliance rates against those timeframes in the Performance Indicators Scheme Annual Report.
2023-24 financial year
Planning consents granted within statutory timeframe
Statutory-timeframe compliance rate for planning consent decisions in South Australia.
PlanSA Performance Indicators Scheme Annual Report 2023-24Released: Published on plan.sa.gov.au
Current statutory framework
Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) statutory decision window
Fastest of the three main planning pathways in South Australia.
PlanSA - South Australia's Planning System overviewReleased: Current framework
Current statutory framework
Performance Assessed statutory decision window
Standard planning pathway for most residential applications in South Australia.
PlanSA assessment pathways fact sheetReleased: Current framework
2023-24 financial year
Restricted (complex) applications assessed on-time
On-time completion rate for the most complex planning pathway.
PlanSA news article on planning system performanceReleased: 2024
Trusted sources
Every figure in this report links directly to a public authority release. The list below is the full set of primary sources used to compile the current edition. Where a figure requires interpretation, refer to the source publication for its full methodology and caveats.
How the PlanSA framework actually works in practice
Plain-English definitions for the terms in your contract
What drives variance in Adelaide build timelines
What structural and non-structural cover generally involves
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