Residential building consents up strongly in April year, non-residential building work flat

The number of new homes consented in April was almost unchanged from March, but was well up year-on-year.

According to Statistics NZ, 3692 new dwellings were consented in April, almost unchanged from the 3677 consented in March.

However, the April consents were up a whopping 53% compared to April last year, although consent numbers in April last year were unusually low.

The annual figures show 39,087 new dwellings were consented in the 12 months to April this year, up 17% compared to the previous 12 months.

That follows three consecutive (April) years of annual declines, so consent numbers are definitely on the up.

Stand alone houses remain the most popular type of new homes, with 17,900 consented in the 12 months to April, followed by 16,832 townhouses and home units, 2656 apartments and 1699 retirement village units. 

The total value of the building work for new dwellings consented in the year to April was $17.6 billion, up 15% compared to the previous 12 months.

Going against that trend, the total value of non-residential building work consented in the 12 months to April this year was basically flat at $8.86 billion, down just 0.4% year-on-year.

However, that also followed three years of annual declines in the value of non-residential building work, which includes everything from offices, shops and factories to schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

While the value of non-residential building work may not be increasing yet, the latest figures do at least suggest that the decline since 2024 may be bottoming out.

The interactive charts below show the monthly changes in total residential consents issued in each region of the country going back to 2004.