New Dwellings Trend Still Increasing

New Dwellings Trend Still Increasing

Consents were issued for 3,032 new dwelling units in November 2003, according to Statistics New Zealand. This is the highest November monthly total for new dwellings since 1973. There has been a steady increase in the trend series for the number of new dwelling units since April 2003.

Consents were issued for 2,288 new dwelling units, excluding apartment units, in November 2003.

This follows totals of 2,399 units in October 2003 and 2,342 units in September 2003.

In November 2003, consents for 744 new apartment units were issued, compared with 109 in October 2003 and 647 in September 2003. The November 2003 total is the second highest monthly total for new apartment units since the apartment series began in January 1990.

Twelve out of 16 regions recorded more new dwelling units in November 2003 compared with November 2002. Auckland (up 258 units) recorded the largest increase in new dwelling units when comparing the two November months, followed by Waikato (up 146 units) and Bay of Plenty (up 91 units). Wellington (down 89 units) recorded the largest decrease. The Auckland region was the main contributor to the total number of new dwelling units with 1,209 units or 40 percent.

The total value of non-residential building consents issued in November 2003 was $255 million.

This follows totals of $255 million in October 2003 and $256 million in September 2003. Consents issued for shops, restaurants and taverns and for education buildings were each worth $44 million or 17 percent of the total non-residential buildings value in November 2003. This was followed by social, cultural and religious buildings with $31 million (12 percent), and hospitals and nursing homes with $27 million (11 percent).

The total value of consents issued for all buildings in November 2003 was $861 million. Residential buildings contributed 70 percent of the total value for all buildings in November 2003, compared with 69 percent in November 2002. For the year ended November 2003, the total value of consents for all buildings was $8,910 million, up $1,226 million or 16 percent when compared with the year ended November 2002.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

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