Record year for building
Record value of building works
A SURGE in building permit activity of almost $300 million has catapulted Greater Geelong to a record new high of more than $1.3 billion worth of building works applied for in 2014.
New figures from the Victorian Building Authority also placed the Epworth Geelong Hospital precinct in Waurn Ponds as the state’s second priciest development, with a $149 million cost for the fourth stage of the health care centre.
Geelong’s success helped propel the entire state to a record year, according to the VBA, which collects data on every building permit in Victoria and the cost of works done on a monthly basis.
The hefty sum places the municipality third in the state, behind Melbourne and the Wyndham Council area.
However, despite the surge in activity, Greater Geelong slipped to third on the list of Victorian municipalities by the value of permits.
VBA chief executive Prue Digby said that, combined with the rest of the state, it had been a record year for building permit activity.
“The $26.9 billion was 11 per cent above the previous highest calendar year total of $24.2 billion reported in 2011 and 14 per cent higher than the $23.5 billion reported in 2013,” Ms Digby said.
Included in the figures was a 300-plus increase in permits for domestic buildings, houses and apartments, which added about $60 million on the figures from 2013 to a new total value of almost $711 million.
Meanwhile, the total value of building costs for the hospital and healthcare category for the Greater Geelong area rose more than $160 million from 2013 to 2014 despite an increase of just seven more permits during that time.