Seasonally adjusted series
Movements in the monthly series for seasonally adjusted dwelling numbers for March to June 2008 should be treated with caution. During this period, these series exhibited greater variability than usual. This was due to the high number of dwellings, particularly apartments, authorised in April 2008, and the impact of Easter being in March instead of April.
Residential buildings
In December 2008, consents were issued for:
- 1,127 new dwelling units, including apartments, the lowest monthly total since January 1987 (when there were 1,077 new dwellings authorised)
- 1,001 new dwellings, excluding apartments, the lowest monthly total since this series began in January 1990
- 126 new apartment units.
Apartments contributed 11 percent to the number of new dwellings authorised in December 2008, the same as the monthly average for the previous 12 months.
In December 2008, the seasonally adjusted number of authorised new dwellings, excluding apartments, fell 0.7 percent. Including apartments, the number fell 6.0 percent.
The trend for the number of authorised new dwellings, including apartments, has fallen 49 percent since the recent June 2007 peak.
For the year ended December 2008 compared with the previous December year, the authorised number of:
- new dwellings, including apartments, fell 28 percent to 18,456 units (this is the lowest annual total since the August 1993 year)
- new dwellings, excluding apartments, fell 30 percent to 16,158 (this is the lowest annual total since the annual series began in December 1990)
- apartments fell 6.9 percent to 2,298 units.
Over this time, the value of new dwellings, including apartments, fell from $6,424 million to $4,896 million (24 percent).
The value of residential building consents was $440 million in December 2008, a 19 percent decrease compared with December 2007. The trend indicates the value has fallen 37 percent since the peak in June 2007, and is at its lowest level since June 2002.
For the year ended December 2008, residential building consents valued at $6,236 million were issued, a 20 percent decrease from the December 2007 year.
Regional residential results
In 12 of New Zealand's 16 regions, fewer new dwelling units were authorised in December 2008 than in December 2007. Numbers fell by 583 units (46 percent) in the North Island. Although more new dwellings were authorised in Nelson, West Coast, Tasman and Otago, the South Island was down overall by 28 units (6.0 percent) compared with December 2007.
For the year ended December 2008, the largest regional decreases were:
- Auckland, down 1,802 units (29 percent) to 4,308
- Canterbury, down 1,556 units (35 percent) to 2,922
- Waikato, down 1,237 units (34 percent) to 2,379.
Non-residential buildings
The value of non-residential building consents was $388 million in December 2008, an increase of 16 percent compared with December 2007. Five of the 11 building types recorded increases in the value of consents compared with December 2007.
For December 2008 compared with December 2007, the largest increases were:
- factories and industrial buildings, up $47 million
- offices and administration buildings, up $34 million.
For the year ended December 2008, non-residential building consents valued at $4,524 million were issued, an increase of 7.7 percent from the December 2007 year. Six of the 11 building types recorded increases in the value of consents over this time.
For the December 2008 year compared with the previous year, the largest increases were:
- education buildings, up $192 million
- offices and administration buildings, up $142 million
- farm buildings, up $118 million.
The largest decrease was for shops, restaurants and taverns, down $200 million.
The three largest contributors to the value of consents authorised in the December 2008 year were offices and administration buildings, at 22 percent, followed by both education buildings, and factories and industrial buildings, at 13 percent.
All buildings
In December 2008, the value of consents issued for all buildings was $827 million, a decrease of 5.7 percent compared with December 2007.
Residential buildings contributed 53 percent to the total value of all buildings in December 2008, while non-residential buildings contributed 47 percent. For the previous 12 months, the average monthly contribution of residential buildings was 59 percent.
For the year ended December 2008 compared with the December 2007 year, the total value of consents issued for:
- all buildings was $10,760 million, down $1,220 million (10 percent)
- residential buildings was $6,236 million, down $1,542 million (20 percent)
- non-residential buildings was $4,524 million, up $322 million (7.7 percent).
For technical information contact:
Tina Waterhouse or Bill Humphrey
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz.
Next release ...
Building Consents Issued: January 2009 will be released on 27 February 2009.