What people actually build
Every one of 423,148 development applications lodged in NSW since 2019, broken down by type of work — 274 distinct kinds, from a new dwelling to a farm shed. Each row is what that work typically costs and how many homes it delivers. Sort any column.
| Type of work | Applications | Median cost | New dwellings ▾ | Busiest councils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential flat building most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
6,361 | $6,235,342 4,806 costed |
335,602 | Woollahra 575 · Council of the City of Sydney 566 · Waverley Council 398 |
| Erection of a new structure most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
92,417 | $450,000 88,558 costed |
303,589 | Lake Macquarie 3,636 · The Hills 3,268 · Central Coast Council 3,163 |
| Demolition most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
42,759 | $700,700 41,020 costed |
176,324 | Northern Beaches Council 1,999 · Inner West Council 1,973 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 1,896 |
| Mixed use development most recent 1 Dec 2025 |
2,020 | $10,210,539 1,395 costed |
151,769 | Council of the City of Sydney 262 · Inner West Council 167 · City of Parramatta Council 150 |
| Shop top housing most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,055 | $5,676,394 1,635 costed |
95,190 | Council of the City of Sydney 234 · Inner West Council 153 · Waverley Council 140 |
| Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
62,078 | $195,000 57,887 costed |
90,734 | Council of the City of Sydney 3,620 · Inner West Council 3,467 · Northern Beaches Council 3,397 |
| Dwelling most recent 27 Mar 2026 |
62,131 | $464,200 58,667 costed |
87,083 | Blacktown 4,680 · The Hills 3,821 · Camden Council 2,358 |
| Subdivision of land most recent 18 Feb 2026 |
18,116 | $575,040 12,894 costed |
82,217 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 746 · Liverpool 738 · The Hills 690 |
| Dwelling house most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
72,596 | $470,260 69,381 costed |
74,428 | Northern Beaches Council 3,367 · The Hills 2,967 · Central Coast Council 2,831 |
| Other most recent 5 Nov 2025 |
18,399 | $95,700 13,076 costed |
73,153 | Council of the City of Sydney 1,020 · Central Coast Council 620 · Inner West Council 607 |
| Residential Accommodation most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
23,502 | $460,800 22,149 costed |
60,363 | Northern Beaches Council 954 · Central Coast Council 905 · The Hills 850 |
| Multi-dwelling housing most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
5,200 | $1,559,313 4,468 costed |
58,933 | Shellharbour 409 · Sutherland 293 · Newcastle 291 |
| Alterations and additions to residential development most recent 19 Nov 2025 |
47,941 | $200,000 44,928 costed |
53,658 | Inner West Council 3,899 · Northern Beaches Council 3,775 · Central Coast Council 2,852 |
| Subdivision most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
18,428 | $610,530 14,098 costed |
49,981 | Maitland 676 · Lake Macquarie 661 · Blacktown 564 |
| Pools / decks / fencing most recent 27 Mar 2026 |
28,019 | $95,000 26,932 costed |
34,638 | Central Coast Council 1,855 · Northern Beaches Council 1,626 · Sutherland 1,556 |
| Retail Premise most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,166 | $269,500 1,700 costed |
34,459 | Council of the City of Sydney 534 · Woollahra 61 · Bayside Council 59 |
| Co-living most recent 18 Aug 2026 |
342 | $6,233,000 315 costed |
33,418 | Cumberland Council 38 · Council of the City of Sydney 32 · Bayside Council 26 |
| Dual occupancy most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
15,507 | $730,000 14,240 costed |
30,516 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 1,238 · Sutherland 1,059 · City of Parramatta Council 821 |
| Boarding house most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
1,049 | $1,949,090 861 costed |
29,350 | Inner West Council 134 · Council of the City of Sydney 101 · Cumberland Council 70 |
| Seniors housing most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
636 | $4,500,000 474 costed |
28,598 | Northern Beaches Council 56 · City of Parramatta Council 30 · The Council of the Shire of Hornsby 30 |
| Secondary dwelling most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
18,136 | $200,000 17,333 costed |
25,079 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 1,048 · Central Coast Council 1,044 · Cumberland Council 818 |
| Garages, carports and car parking spaces most recent 7 Nov 2024 |
19,377 | $72,000 18,605 costed |
24,284 | Lake Macquarie 980 · Northern Beaches Council 961 · Central Coast Council 939 |
| Retail premises most recent 1 Dec 2025 |
1,482 | $552,750 1,176 costed |
22,555 | Council of the City of Sydney 280 · Inner West Council 74 · Camden Council 44 |
| Earthworks / change in levels most recent 27 Jun 2025 |
4,079 | $493,281 3,800 costed |
22,434 | Ballina 240 · Northern Beaches Council 216 · The Hills 177 |
| Independent living units most recent 18 Aug 2026 |
427 | $7,184,014 345 costed |
20,891 | Northern Beaches Council 48 · The Council of the Shire of Hornsby 29 · Lake Macquarie 21 |
| Stratum / community title subdivision most recent 7 Nov 2024 |
1,317 | $828,873 844 costed |
20,546 | Central Coast Council 59 · Newcastle 47 · Northern Beaches Council 47 |
| Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
9,392 | $70,000 7,359 costed |
20,249 | Council of the City of Sydney 560 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 326 · City of Parramatta Council 276 |
| Hotel or motel accommodation most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
914 | $2,800,000 713 costed |
16,318 | Council of the City of Sydney 286 · Inner West Council 25 · Bayside Council 23 |
| Retaining walls, protection of trees most recent 5 Feb 2025 |
8,691 | $192,800 8,285 costed |
15,682 | Lake Macquarie 738 · The Hills 668 · Central Coast Council 460 |
| Non-standard Housing most recent 19 Aug 2026 |
786 | $334,986 748 costed |
15,617 | Lake Macquarie 32 · Central Coast Council 24 · Inner West Council 21 |
| Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs most recent 9 Feb 2024 |
16,179 | $85,000 15,605 costed |
15,487 | Northern Beaches Council 1,209 · Central Coast Council 1,021 · Lake Macquarie 830 |
| Alterations and additions to commercial development most recent 15 Nov 2024 |
7,126 | $180,145 6,240 costed |
12,520 | Council of the City of Sydney 1,387 · Inner West Council 278 · City of Parramatta Council 209 |
| Commercial development most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
3,222 | $286,000 2,631 costed |
12,193 | Council of the City of Sydney 655 · City of Parramatta Council 108 · Sutherland 87 |
| Restaurant or cafe most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,903 | $140,000 1,978 costed |
11,703 | Council of the City of Sydney 777 · Inner West Council 115 · City of Parramatta Council 88 |
| Shed most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
31,540 | $41,250 30,592 costed |
11,197 | Wollondilly 1,376 · Cessnock 1,262 · Albury 1,048 |
| Dual occupancy (attached) most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
5,167 | $935,000 4,870 costed |
10,738 | Cumberland Council 330 · City of Parramatta Council 288 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 273 |
| Residential care facility most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
266 | $1,698,828 196 costed |
9,799 | Blacktown 14 · Central Coast Council 14 · Northern Beaches Council 13 |
| Food and drink premise most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
2,372 | $124,139 1,682 costed |
9,697 | Council of the City of Sydney 605 · City of Parramatta Council 68 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 66 |
| Attached dwelling most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,525 | $429,000 2,367 costed |
8,891 | Council of the City of Sydney 342 · Inner West Council 232 · Woollahra 163 |
| Manufactured home most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
1,295 | $350,000 1,257 costed |
8,878 | Central Coast Council 44 · Snowy Monaro Regional Council 44 · Lake Macquarie 36 |
| Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
6,477 | $245,850 6,281 costed |
8,736 | Lake Macquarie 470 · Wollondilly 404 · Tweed 313 |
| Signage most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
6,518 | $52,412 6,034 costed |
7,802 | Council of the City of Sydney 807 · Camden Council 220 · Inner West Council 209 |
| Medium Density Housing most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
928 | $1,258,342 860 costed |
7,587 | Shellharbour 71 · Central Coast Council 38 · Armidale Regional Council 34 |
| Centre based childcare most recent 23 Sep 2024 |
1,525 | $2,000,000 1,236 costed |
7,390 | Cumberland Council 126 · Blacktown 125 · Liverpool 97 |
| Stormwater management systems most recent 6 Nov 2024 |
1,214 | $600,000 1,066 costed |
7,186 | Shoalhaven 66 · Northern Beaches Council 53 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 49 |
| Office Premise most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
1,904 | $387,183 1,646 costed |
7,070 | Council of the City of Sydney 599 · City of Parramatta Council 54 · Inner West Council 54 |
| Office premises most recent 1 Dec 2025 |
977 | $660,000 831 costed |
6,988 | Council of the City of Sydney 261 · City of Parramatta Council 37 · North Sydney Council 32 |
| Industrial development most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
3,516 | $976,250 2,923 costed |
6,884 | Central Coast Council 164 · Penrith 148 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 140 |
| Shop most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
773 | $151,800 629 costed |
6,622 | Council of the City of Sydney 188 · City of Parramatta Council 25 · City of Canada Bay Council 23 |
| Business premises most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,186 | $100,000 1,719 costed |
6,615 | Council of the City of Sydney 175 · Inner West Council 80 · Camden Council 69 |
| Dual occupancy (detached) most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
3,727 | $688,837 3,519 costed |
6,284 | Byron 196 · Newcastle 159 · Lake Macquarie 141 |
| Change of use most recent 17 Apr 2025 |
6,167 | $50,000 4,589 costed |
6,194 | Council of the City of Sydney 466 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 252 · Inner West Council 227 |
| Centre-based child care most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
1,601 | $2,320,120 1,381 costed |
5,966 | Blacktown 110 · Cumberland Council 87 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 84 |
| Advertising and signage most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
4,473 | $82,500 4,105 costed |
5,623 | Council of the City of Sydney 541 · City of Parramatta Council 160 · Inner West Council 128 |
| Build-to-rent most recent 13 Aug 2026 |
39 | $22,236,295 36 costed |
5,553 | Council of the City of Sydney 7 · Cumberland Council 3 · Goulburn Mulwaree Council 3 |
| Outdoor dining - general most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
202 | $110,000 161 costed |
5,434 | Council of the City of Sydney 49 · Northern Beaches Council 13 · City of Parramatta Council 8 |
| Take away food and drink most recent 19 Aug 2026 |
688 | $99,000 559 costed |
5,302 | Council of the City of Sydney 90 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 34 · Cumberland Council 27 |
| Footpaths - outdoor dining most recent 6 Aug 2026 |
117 | $70,000 87 costed |
5,198 | Council of the City of Sydney 31 · Randwick 7 · City of Parramatta Council 6 |
| Multi-dwelling housing (terraces) most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
410 | $1,512,535 375 costed |
5,148 | Council of the City of Sydney 53 · Inner West Council 29 · Woollahra 29 |
| Semi-attached dwelling most recent 15 Jan 2024 |
1,892 | $593,256 1,789 costed |
4,916 | Inner West Council 356 · Waverley Council 189 · Liverpool 181 |
Cost of works is the applicant's own estimate as lodged, so this reports the median rather than a total: the feed contains keying errors large enough to make sums meaningless — the biggest is $1,111,111,111,111 against alterations to a house, and 22 applications state a cost above $1,000,000,000 and are excluded here. Types with fewer than 20 applications are left out, because a median of a handful is noise. Source: NSW Planning Portal — Online DA open API, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.