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Wellington housing target: 2051 target vs approvals

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

Wellington’s final 2051 housing target is 8,000 additional homes (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Spread evenly over the 28 years from 2023, that is about 286 homes a year.

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 209 dwelling approvals in Wellington: approvals are running at 73% of the pace needed. That is up 47% 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.

8,000additional homes by 2051 (target)
286a year: the even pace the target implies
209dwellings approved in the 12 months to Jul 2026
73%of the pace needed, on the last 12 months

The state counts about 24,100 homes in Wellington in 2023 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), so the target would add roughly 33% to the housing stock.

Region: Regional Victoria.

Monthly approvals in Wellington

Dwelling approvals in Wellington by monthMonthly dwelling units approved in Wellington, Jul 2018 to Jul 2026, split into houses and other dwellings, with the 12-month average and a dashed line at the 24 a month the 2051 target implies. The last 12 months total 209. The same figures are in the table that follows.020406020192020202120222023202420252026

Since January 2024, 452 dwellings have been approved in Wellington, about 175 a year, and the three-year average is 186 a year (65% 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 36 years, around 2062, after 2051.

Of the last 12 months’ approvals, 89% were houses and 11% were other dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.

Dwelling units approved in Wellington, by financial year
Financial yearHousesOther dwellingsTotal
2018–1922614240
2019–202237230
2020–2138019399
2021–2230517322
2022–232948302
2023–2419912211
2024–2513611147
2025–2618123204
2026–27 (Jul–Jul, 1 months)15015
Last 24 months, month by month
MonthHousesOther dwellingsTotal
Jul 202615015
Jun 202620020
May 202614014
Apr 202614418
Mar 202619019
Feb 202619221
Jan 202611011
Dec 202514014
Nov 202513013
Oct 2025151732
Sep 202512012
Aug 202520020
Jul 202510010
Jun 2025808
May 202515015
Apr 202512012
Mar 202513215
Feb 20259514
Jan 2025202
Dec 202412012
Nov 202413215
Oct 202413013
Sep 202412012
Aug 202412214

Similar councils

Councils in Regional Victoria with the closest target sizes.

Council2051 targetNeeded a yearApproved, last 12 monthsShare of pace needed
Mildura8,500304447147%
South Gippsland8,00028616257%
Surf Coast8,000286311109%
Wellington8,00028620973%
Warrnambool7,200257394153%

Where in Wellington 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
Sale206
Longford50
Glenmaggie37
Wurruk27
Briagolong24
Stratford15
Rosedale14
Woodside5

What the target means

The target is the number of additional homes the Victorian Government expects Wellington 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 Wellington's housing target?

Wellington's final housing target, set by the Victorian Government in February 2025, is 8,000 additional homes by 2051.

How many homes are being approved in Wellington?

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 209 dwelling approvals in Wellington. The even pace the target implies is about 286 a year, so approvals are running at 73% of the pace needed.

Does Wellington have to approve 286 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 Wellington

Wellington 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