Dwelling consents reach 10-year high

Dwelling consents reach 10-year high

11 January 2016

The number of new dwellings consented reached a 10-year high in November 2015, Statistics New Zealand said today.

“November is usually a big month for residential building consents, and 2015 was no exception,” business indicators manager Clara Eatherley said. “Dwelling consents were up 17 percent from the year before, driven by increases for houses and retirement village units.”

A total of 2,831 new dwellings were consented in November 2015 – the most in a month since March 2005, when 3,027 new dwellings were consented.

In November 2015, the regions that consented the most new dwellings were:

• Auckland – 966
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• Canterbury – 573
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• Wellington – 328 (the highest number since April 2008).
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“An unusually high number of new dwellings were consented in the Wellington region, with a spike in consents for apartments and retirement village units,” Ms Eatherley said.

In seasonally adjusted terms, the national number of new dwellings consented rose 1.8 percent in November compared with October. The trend (which gives a longer-term picture of movements) increased 0.6 percent, and is at its highest level since July 2004.

A total of $1.6 billion of building work was consented in November – comprising $1.1 billion of residential work, and $531 million of non-residential work.

“This is the first time that residential building consents have passed the billion dollar mark,” Ms Eatherley said.

Statistics NZ produces detailed building consent statistics for every region and territorial authority in the country. Statistics for the 2015 year will be published on 29 January.

For more information about these statistics:

• Visit Building Consents Issued: November 2015

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