Residential buildings
In April 2010, consents were issued for:
- 1,400 new dwelling units, including apartments
- 1,309 new dwelling units, excluding apartments
- 91 new apartment units (49 were assisted-living apartments associated with a retirement village).
Excluding apartments, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings authorised in April 2010 rose 15.5 percent, after falling 8.6 percent in March 2010. The trend has been increasing since March 2009, but remains at a low level.
Including apartments, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings authorised in April 2010 rose 8.5 percent, after rising 0.1 percent in March 2010. The trend has been increasing since January 2009, but remains at a low level.
Apartments contributed 6.5 percent to the number of new dwellings in April 2010, compared with a monthly average of 8.2 percent for the previous 12 months. Apartment numbers can vary considerably from month to month.
The value of residential building consents was $480 million in April 2010, 35 percent higher than in April 2009. The trend has increased since March 2009, following falls that began in July 2007.
Regional residential results
More new dwelling units were authorised in 14 of New Zealand’s 16 regions in April 2010 compared with April 2009. In April 2010, numbers rose by 169 units (23 percent) in the North Island and by 222 units (84 percent) in the South Island.
The regions with the largest increases were:
- Canterbury, up 127 units to 266
- Waikato, up 70 units to 169
- Nelson, up 52 units to 60 (due to 49 more apartments in April 2010).
The regions with decreases were:
- Northland, down 51 units to 66 (due to 70 less apartments in April 2010)
- Tasman, down 8 units to 12.
Non-residential buildings
The value of non-residential building consents was $327 million in April 2010, a 38 percent decrease compared with April 2009. April 2009 recorded the highest monthly value of non-residential building consents since the series began in April 1965, and was boosted by the Christchurch International Airport development.
Seven of the 11 building types recorded decreases in the value of consents in April 2010 compared with April 2009.
The largest decreases were:
- offices and administration buildings, down $238 million (the Christchurch International Airport development contributed to this category in April 2009)
- hostels and boarding houses, down $34 million
- factories and industrial buildings, down $18 million.
The largest increases were:
- social, cultural, and religious buildings, up $38 million
- hospitals and nursing homes, up $36 million
- shops, restaurants, and taverns, up $28 million.
The three largest contributors to the value of non-residential building consents authorised for April 2010 were:
- education buildings, at 18 percent
- shops, restaurants, and taverns, at 18 percent
- social, cultural, and religious buildings, at 16 percent.
Non-residential trend series
The monthly trend series for the value of non-residential buildings has been removed from the tables and Infoshare for further analysis. The series is estimated after the removal of consents valued at $25 million or more and Statistics New Zealand is reviewing this practice. The monthly series is available on request. A quarterly trend series for the value of non-residential buildings is available.
All buildings
In April 2010, the value of consents issued for all buildings was $807 million, an 8.8 percent decrease compared with April 2009.
For the year ended April 2010 compared with the year ended April 2009, the total value of consents issued for:
- all buildings was $9,670 million, down $289 million (2.9 percent)
- residential buildings was $5,540 million, up $198 million (3.7 percent)
- non-residential buildings was $4,130 million, down $487 million (11 percent).
For technical information contact:
Simon Petersen or Clara Eatherley
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz
Next release ...
Building Consents Issued: May 2010 will be released on 29 June 2010.