Home building plans near 38,000 a year

The annual number of new homes consented was 37,882 for the year ended February 2020, the highest since the mid-1970s, Stats NZ said today.

The number of new homes consented was up 3,620 from the same period in 2019, a rise of 11 percent.

“The number of new homes consented in the February 2020 year is the highest in about 45 years, boosted by more new homes for Auckland,” construction statistics manager Melissa McKenzie said.

A total of 14,854 new homes were consented in Auckland in the February 2020 year, just over 1,000 more than in the previous February year.

Nationally, there were many more higher-density style homes consented, such as townhouses, flats, and units.

“Building consent statistics may be affected in the coming months by the current lock-down because of COVID-19. However, any delay to or cancellation of already consented building plans would be seen in the quarterly value of building work put in place, not in monthly consent statistics,” Ms McKenzie said.

Retail and hospitality building consents at high levels

The value of consents for hotels, motels, and other short-term accommodation surpassed $600 million for the first time in the February 2020 year (now $616 million).

In the same period, the value of building consents issued for shops, restaurants, and bars was also at a historically high level (about $1 billion), although down 12 percent on the previous year.