By Esther Lauaki
Hume has again broken the $1billion barrier for building permits issued in a financial year.
The region was the fourth highest among the state’s top 10 metropolitan municipalities ranked by the value of building permits reported to the Victorian Building Authority.
The data showed 4936 permits were issued for building works with a combined value of $1.39 billion in 2017-18.
The value of permits was up 25 per cent on the previous financial year’s $1.04 billion.
Hume council planning and development director Michael Sharp said the number of permits issued bodes well for the area.
Mr Sharp said the municipality was one of the fastest-growing and diverse municipalities in the country boosting the value of building permits. “Council continues to work with and advocate to the state government to ensure all of our suburbs, are liveable and attractive, and that our residents have proper access to services,” he said.
In the Macedon Ranges, building permits issued in the same period valued more than $230 million.
The Ranges ranked eighth in the top 10 rural municipalities in the state by the value of building permits.
Figures showed 1212 permits were issued for building works valued at $232.3 million in the year to June 30.
The value of permits was up 25 per cent from $174 million for the previous financial year.
Statewide, percentage increases for the value of building permits issued in rural Victoria outstripped metropolitan Melbourne.
Gippsland reported the highest jump from the previous year – up 27.5 percent.
Melbourne recorded the highest value of permits issued at $5.69 billion, followed by Wyndham with $2.29 billion and Casey with $1.84 billion.
A total of 12 municipalities reported building permit activity of more than $1 billion during the 12 months to June, with 11 of those in metropolitan Melbourne.
