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Swan Hill housing target: 2051 target vs approvals

Swan Hill’s official 2051 housing target, the yearly pace it implies, and how ABS building approvals in the council compare, month by month.

Swan Hill’s final 2051 housing target is 2,100 additional homes (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Spread evenly over the 28 years from 2023, that is about 75 homes a year.

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 94 dwelling approvals in Swan Hill: approvals are running at 125% of the pace needed. That is up 15% on the 12 months before.

Updated to Jul 2026 (ABS building approvals), data refreshed 2026-10-07. Targets as set in Plan for Victoria’s final targets, 24 February 2025.

2,100additional homes by 2051 (target)
75a year: the even pace the target implies
94dwellings approved in the 12 months to Jul 2026
125%of the pace needed, on the last 12 months

The state counts about 9,700 homes in Swan Hill in 2023 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), so the target would add roughly 22% to the housing stock.

Region: Regional Victoria.

Monthly approvals in Swan Hill

Dwelling approvals in Swan Hill by monthMonthly dwelling units approved in Swan Hill, Jul 2018 to Jul 2026, split into houses and other dwellings, with the 12-month average and a dashed line at the 6 a month the 2051 target implies. The last 12 months total 94. The same figures are in the table that follows.010203020192020202120222023202420252026

Since January 2024, 194 dwellings have been approved in Swan Hill, about 75 a year, and the three-year average is 74 a year (99% of the pace needed). Extrapolation only: if approvals continued at the last 12 months' pace and every approval became a home (not all do), the remaining target would be reached in about 20 years, around 2046.

Of the last 12 months’ approvals, 96% were houses and 4% were other dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.

Dwelling units approved in Swan Hill, by financial year
Financial yearHousesOther dwellingsTotal
2018–1951253
2019–2050959
2020–219910109
2021–22642286
2022–23302050
2023–24351550
2024–2556561
2025–2610114115
2026–27 (Jul–Jul, 1 months)404
Last 24 months, month by month
MonthHousesOther dwellingsTotal
Jul 2026404
Jun 20269211
May 2026606
Apr 2026505
Mar 202614216
Feb 2026505
Jan 202613013
Dec 2025707
Nov 2025404
Oct 202512012
Sep 2025808
Aug 2025303
Jul 2025151025
Jun 2025303
May 202518321
Apr 2025303
Mar 2025404
Feb 2025224
Jan 2025404
Dec 2024202
Nov 2024606
Oct 2024505
Sep 2024202
Aug 2024303

Similar councils

Councils in Regional Victoria with the closest target sizes.

Council2051 targetNeeded a yearApproved, last 12 monthsShare of pace needed
Moyne2,9001045957%
Strathbogie2,400867082%
Swan Hill2,1007594125%
Benalla1,70061228376%
Central Goldfields1,700613761%

Where in Swan Hill the approvals are

Suburbs with the most dwelling approvals since July 2021, when the ABS small-area series starts. Suburb figures are apportioned from ABS SA2 areas, so treat them as indicative.

SuburbDwellings approved since Jul 2021
Swan Hill241
Robinvale17

What the target means

The target is the number of additional homes the Victorian Government expects Swan Hill to make room for by 2051 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Councils do that through their planning controls (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), and the state says it will intervene, including by rezoning, where councils don’t (Premier of Victoria, verified 27 Sep 2026). The targets were set using access to jobs, services and transport, hazards such as flood and bushfire, and development trends (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026).

Method and limits.

Frequently asked

What is Swan Hill's housing target?

Swan Hill's final housing target, set by the Victorian Government in February 2025, is 2,100 additional homes by 2051.

How many homes are being approved in Swan Hill?

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 94 dwelling approvals in Swan Hill. The even pace the target implies is about 75 a year, so approvals are running at 125% of the pace needed.

Does Swan Hill have to approve 75 homes every year?

No. The target is a long-run total to 2051, not a yearly quota, and councils meet it by providing capacity in their planning controls. The even yearly pace is a yardstick for comparison, not a legal requirement.

Are building approvals the same as new homes?

No. An approval is the permit that lets construction start. Some approved homes are built years later, some never are, and demolished homes aren't subtracted.

Suburbs in Swan Hill

Swan Hill council overview: median prices for every suburb →

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.

← All councils’ targets Rezoning tracker → Planning and development guide →
Written by
Delora editorial team
Jurisdiction
Victoria only (Victorian Government targets)
Content type
Data tracker (general information, not advice)
Last reviewed
2026-10-07
Sources
See "Sources and methodology" above for cited sources

Sources on this page last verified against the primary source each figure cites. What “verified” means