According to Stats NZ, 44,299 new dwellings were consented in the year ended June 2021, setting a rise for the fourth consecutive month. 

The increase in the number of new homes consented in recent years has mostly been due to a rise in consents for higher density (multi-unit) homes, such as townhouses, units and apartments according to Michael Heslop, Construction Statistics Manager, Stats NZ. 

In the last 12 months, 19,777 new multi-unit homes were consented, up 28% compared with the previous June year. Multi-unit homes accounted for 45% of all new consents. 24,522 new stand-alone houses were consented in the last 12 months, up 11% over the same period. 

Looking at Auckland, 19,036 homes were consented in the last 12 months, including 12,237 multi-unit homes and 6,799 stand-alone houses. 

The proportion of multi-unit homes is particularly strong in Auckland, accounting for 64% of new consents in the last 12 months, compared with 30% in the rest of New Zealand. Outside of Auckland, consents of higher density dwellings have increased from 22% in 2016 to 30% in the latest year, however, stand-alone dwellings are still the most common dwelling type. 

In the June 2021 year, commercial consents totalled $7.7 billion, up 13% from the last 12 months. The commercial building types with the highest values were Education buildings (up 54%), factories (up 55%) and office, administration, and public transport buildings (up 2.3%).

Image: Stats NZ

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