“The strong pipeline of multi-unit dwelling approvals recorded during the second half of 2025 has begun to translate into construction activity,” said Geordan Murray (pictured right), ACT & Southern NSW executive director at the Housing Industry Association (HIA).
“There were 1,488 new residential dwellings that commenced construction in the ACT during the March quarter 2026. This was up by 71.8% on the previous quarter, driven almost entirely by a surge in apartment construction. While that’s an encouraging uplift in commencements, it also highlights the imbalance in the ACT’s housing supply.
“Only 209 detached houses commenced construction during the quarter, remaining well below the levels that have historically underpinned housing supply in the Territory.”
For over a decade, the ACT government’s housing strategy had sought to diversify the types of homes being delivered, Murray said. In practice, however, the territory had largely replaced the supply of detached homes with a supply of apartments, rather than broadening the mix of housing options, he pointed out.
“There were just 214 semi-detached, row and townhouse dwellings commenced during the March quarter,” Murray added. “If the ACT is to replace the lost supply of detached housing while achieving greater housing diversity, commencements of these ‘missing middle’ housing types will need to increase substantially.