This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
BUILDERS in New South Wales are doing the hard yards, according to the HIA Housing 100 report.
HIA’s Housing 100 reported 7,334 dwellings commencements in 2006/07, 4.8% lower than the previous year of 7,700 starts in 2005/06.
This year, the state’s largest builder was Investa Property Group with over 870 starts, followed by Mirvac with 761 starts and Beechwood Homes with 661 starts.
HIA’s NSW executive director Graham Wolfe said that the decrease in housing starts among NSW’s largest 20 builders was evidence that the housing industry has been doing it tough in recent times.
“Those engaged in building have found it very difficult across all aspects of the housing industry. Several issues confronting the NSW industry include: the accessibility of affordable raw land, the effect of interest rates on affordable housing and the slow approvals processes.
“It is very frustrating that the economies of scale that the state’s largest builders have in delivering affordable housing has been eroded over the last few years,” he added.
“HIA’s Housing 100 has the capacity to deliver an additional 3,000 homes per annum but they continue to be weighed down by regulation, taxation and supply-side constraints,” Wolfe concluded. “This report is yet another clear signal that sensible reforms and national leadership on housing affordability must remain a priority.”
Australian Property Journal
