Residential buildings
Monthly
In December 2009, consents were issued for:
- 1,353 new dwelling units, including apartments
- 1,260 new dwelling units, excluding apartments
- 93 new apartment units (64 were assisted-living apartments associated with a retirement village).
Excluding apartments, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings authorised in December 2009 fell 1.4 percent, after rising 2.8 percent in November 2009. The trend has been increasing since March 2009 (up 45 percent), following a series of falls that began in July 2007.
Including apartments, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings authorised in December 2009 fell 2.4 percent, after rising just 0.1 percent in November 2009. The trend has been increasing since the low in January 2009 (up 34 percent), following a series of falls that began in June 2007.
Apartments contributed 6.9 percent to the number of new dwellings in December 2009, compared with a monthly average of 11 percent for the previous 12 months. Apartment numbers can vary considerably from month to month.
The value of residential building consents was $494 million in December 2009, 12 percent higher than in December 2008. The trend has increased since April 2009 (up 29 percent), following falls that began in July 2007.
Quarterly
In the December 2009 quarter the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings authorised (excluding apartments) rose 18 percent. This follows a rise of 16 percent in the September 2009 quarter. Including apartments, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings authorised rose 21 percent in the December 2009 quarter, following a rise of 8.8 percent in the September 2009 quarter.
The value of residential building consents was $1,512 million in the December 2009 quarter. The trend has been increasing for the last two quarters, up 26 percent.
Annual
For the December 2009 year compared with the December 2008 year:
- new dwellings, including apartments, fell 22 percent to 14,425 units, the lowest annual total for a December year since the series began in 1966
- new dwellings, excluding apartments, fell 20 percent to 12,976 units
- apartments fell 37 percent to 1,449.
The value of residential building consents was $5,118 million in the December 2009 year, 18 percent lower than the December 2008 year. This is the lowest annual total since the December 2001 year.
Regional residential results
More new dwelling units were authorised in 11 of New Zealand’s 16 regions in December 2009 compared with December 2008. Numbers rose by 219 units (32 percent) in the North Island and by 7 units (1.6 percent) in the South Island.
The regions with the largest increases were:
- Auckland, up 80 units to 313
- Wellington, up 75 units to 152
- Canterbury, up 45 units to 236
The Bay of Plenty region had the largest decrease, down 41 units to 52 in December 2009.
For the year ended December 2009, 14 of New Zealand’s 16 regions had fewer dwelling units authorised compared with the previous year. The regions with the largest decreases were:
- Auckland, down 833 units (19 percent) to 3,475
- Wellington, down 683 units (34 percent) to 1,314
- Waikato, down 615 units (26 percent) to 1,764.
The regions with increases were Hawke’s Bay (up 69 units to 605) and Taranaki (up 20 units to 489).
Non-residential buildings
Monthly
The value of non-residential building consents was $404 million in December 2009, a 5.6 percent increase compared with December 2008. Seven of the 11 building types recorded decreases in the value of consents compared with December 2008.
The largest decreases were:
- factories and industrial buildings, down $33 million
- offices and administration buildings, down $30 million.
The largest increases were:
- hospitals and nursing homes, up $63 million
- social, cultural, and religious buildings, up $33 million
- education buildings, up $33 million.
Quarterly
The seasonally adjusted value of non-residential building consents increased 7.9 percent in the December 2009 quarter, following a fall of 20 percent in the previous quarter. The trend for the value of non-residential buildings consents has fallen for the last two quarters, down 9.1 percent.
Annual
For the year ended December 2009, the value of non-residential building consents was $4,526 million, a 0.2 percent increase compared with the December 2008 year. Six of the 11 building types recorded decreases in the value of consents compared with the December 2008 year.
The largest decreases were:
- factories and industrial buildings, down $187 million
- farm buildings, down $186 million
- storage buildings, down $172 million.
The largest increases were:
- social, cultural, and religious buildings, up $273 million
- hostels and boarding houses, up $186 million
- hospitals and nursing homes, up $105 million.
The three largest contributors to the value of non-residential building consents authorised for the December 2009 year were:
- offices and administration buildings, at 25 percent
- social, cultural, and religious buildings, at 14 percent
- education buildings, at 14 percent.
Non-residential trend series
A quarterly trend series for the value of non-residential buildings is now available. This series is estimated without the removal of large value consents. The monthly trend series is estimated after the removal of consents valued at $25 million or more, however Statistics New Zealand is reviewing this practice. The monthly series is available on request.
All buildings
In December 2009, the value of consents issued for all buildings was $898 million, a 9.2 percent increase compared with December 2008.
For the year ended December 2009 compared with the year ended December 2008, the total value of consents issued for:
- all buildings was $9,644 million, down $1,111 million (10 percent)
- residential buildings was $5,118 million, down $1,118 million (18 percent)
- non-residential buildings was $4,526 million, up $7 million (0.2 percent).
For technical information contact:
Clara Eatherley or Bill Humphrey
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz
Next release ...
Building Consents Issued: January 2010 will be released on 26 February 2010.