SA’s biggest construction industry winners and losers exposed – realestate.com.au

Adelaide’s construction and failure hotspots have been revealed, as new data sheds light on South Africa’s suburbs, which have seen the biggest increase in building approvals and the biggest drop in construction plans.

The Munno Para West – Angle Vale area is leading the growth of building approvals in Adelaide, with 414 more building approvals in 2025 than in 2024.

More than 1,320 approvals were granted in 2025, compared to 908 in 2024.

Hindmarsh – Brompton also saw a spike, with their approvals increasing by 332 to 371, compared to just 39 last year.

And Prospect also saw a significant jump: 270 approvals for 2025, compared to just 58 last year.

Will Frogley, CEO of Master Builders SA, said a total of 1,256 new homes were approved in South Africa for the month of October – 11.2 percent more than the previous month.

“This is great news that strengthens confidence in our housing sector in South Australia, but it is critical that we continue to build on these results,” he said.

“Continued support for our builders – by reducing red tape and addressing the skills shortage – will be essential to maintain this momentum.

“Strengthening the labor market requires that we invest in training and actively recruit more talent into the sector.”

But development did not increase everywhere: the number of building permits in Norwood fell by 120 compared to last year.

Only 24 approvals were granted this year, compared to 144 last year.

And while activity is generally booming in the north, approvals have fallen in the southern region of Davoren Park and Gawler, with approvals falling from 289 in the former region to 202 and falling from 245 to 169 in the latter.

Oscar Stanley of the UDIA

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Urban Development Institute of Australia national president Oscar Stanley said diversity in construction was key to ensuring buyers’ diverse needs were met.

“Governments that do not ensure a stable supply of detached houses will inevitably fall short of their housing targets and are likely to see housing affordability deteriorate,” he said.

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“In addition to a greater supply, the diversity of the housing stock is also crucial for improving affordability.

“Governments should facilitate a mix of low, medium and high density housing options so people can choose what best suits their needs.

“An appeal to densification will not solve the housing problem”

Metricon CEO Brad Duggan.

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Metricon CEO Brad Duggan said Australia can reach its target of 1.2 million homes by mid-2029, but only if it accelerates land releases, streamlines planning processes and ensures infrastructure delivery.

“The country has no problem with construction capacity,” he said.

“Builders can deliver homes quickly.

“What we need is a pipeline for land and approvals that matches that pace.

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“If governments, municipalities and businesses move in the same direction, this goal is absolutely within reach.

“Housing should be treated as a national economic priority, because it is.”

Organization is a crucial route to filling the 10,000 skilled trades jobs needed to maintain a steady flow of work in our sector.”

Australia’s Young Builder of the Year, Luke Callery of Callery Building, is working on a house in Hawthorn. Photo: Keryn Stevens

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Luke Callery of Stepney-based Callery Building, who was recently named Australia’s Best Young Builder at the Master Builders Association National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, said he believed skilled builders were most needed to achieve building guidelines.

“There are probably enough builders to do the work, but there is a lack of skilled builders.

“There are a lot of people who haven’t kept up with the new requirements, building code changes and regulations, and I think there’s a lot of people who don’t understand, and I think that’s one of the problems with the industry because there’s a lack of education about 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 impacts your customers who expect you to deliver on time and on budget.”

– with Nathan Mawby