Record building consents show strong progress

The number of building consents for new dwellings in 2018 reached 32,996 – of these 21,125 were stand-alone homes, 3,551 were apartments, 1,829 were retirement village units and 6,491 were town houses or home units. Government-related building consents reached 1,999, the highest number since 1978.

“Building consents for new dwellings have reached a 14-year high in the year ending December 2018 showing we are making significant progress as we get on with the job of building the houses New Zealanders need,” says Jenny Salesa.

“We are still ramping up, and more is needed, but the figures show we’re on the right track. There is still a huge shortfall of housing but we are working with the sector to ensure our building systems support the growth we need.”

In July 2018, the National Construction Pipeline Report showed a slower but longer construction forecast. For the first time since its inception, the report did not forecast a boom followed by a bust. Instead, residential building value is expected to hold steady over the next six years, before increasing to a high of $26.6 billion in 2023. The report shows building consents for new dwellings will increase year-on-year to a high of 43,100 in 2023.

“The continued rise in building consents will bring more certainty to the construction sector and further confidence in the Government’s comprehensive housing plan,” says Jenny Salesa.