Our take on the latest Residential building consents (Fri 30 Nov 2018)
New dwelling consents
Auckland dwelling consents
32,925
13,078
In the year to Oct 2018
In the year to Oct 2018
Excluding Auckland and Canterbury, new dwelling consents up 19.6%pa
The key numbers...
- Auckland dwelling consents are at their highest on record (since 1976), but capacity constraints in the region continue to raise doubts about whether activity can be sustained at this level.
- Recent housing market data has shown some strength in terms of both prices and sales. Possibly reflecting this trend, consent numbers in provincial areas such as Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Nelson, and Otago are running ahead of forecast.
- Densification continues to show through in activity, with buoyant townhouse numbers in Auckland being joined by strength in Waikato, Manawatū-Whanganui, and Wellington.
New dwelling consents
Annual running totals
...and our reaction
- New dwelling consents reversed their declines of the previous three months to reach a new 14-year high.
- October was the biggest month on record for townhouse consents. Townhouses represented more than 19% of total consents in the last year – the highest proportion since 1996.
- Consent numbers outside Auckland and Canterbury were higher than a year ago for the first time since May, with Waikato, the lower North Island, and Nelson showing renewed strength.
Latest updates
Premium
Residential building consents
Residential consents fall 3.6% in June
Mon 3 Aug 2026
Monthly
40,581 Annual consents over the June 2026 year
19% June 2026 consents over the June 2026 year
3.6% June 2026 consents from May on a seas. adj. basisPremium
Residential building consents
Residential consents fall 4.0% in May
Thu 2 Jul 2026
Monthly
39,737 Annual consents over May 2026 year4.0% May 2026 consents from April on a seas. adj. basis22%pa Townhouse consents over May 2026 yearResidential building consents
Residential consents jump up 11% in April
Wed 3 Jun 2026
Monthly
39,087 Annual consents over April 2026 year11% April 2026 consents from March on a seas. adj. basis19%pa Multi-unit consents over April 2026 yearResidential building consents
Residential consent momentum trends sideways
Fri 1 May 2026
Monthly
37,813 Annual consents over March 2026 year
3,300pm Consents trend sideways on a seas. adj. basis14%pa Townhouse consents over March 2026 year