Residential building consents

Auckland consent growth hits capacity constraints

11 Jan 2019
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Brad Olsen

Our take on the latest Residential building consents (Fri 11 Jan 2019)

New dwelling consents
32,783
In the year to Nov 2018
Auckland res consents down 5%pa in the three months to Nov 2018
Residential consents grew 0.3%pa in the year to Nov 2018 for NZ excluding Akl and Chch

The key numbers...

  • Auckland building activity growth in 2019 looks set to hit capacity constraints, with lower consents over the last year pointing to a lack of additional labour, materials, land, and finance to grow new dwelling approvals further.
  • Restraint on further growth in Auckland’s construction market, coupled with a slowdown in denser housing consents, means that the undersupply of housing is expected to persist, even though population growth is slowing.

Auckland consents growth

Year-end % changes
3027

...and our reaction

  • Over the three months to November 2018, residential consents in Auckland fell 5%pa – the first fall since September 2017.
  • Attached dwelling consents in Auckland have been advancing at pace recently but slowed back to 19%pa in the year to November 2018 – the slowest growth in 18 months.
  • Outside of Auckland and Canterbury, consents across the rest of NZ look a little brighter, up 0.3%pa in the year to November 2018 – turning positive after three months of negative year-end growth.

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. basis
Premium
Residential building consents

Residential consents fall 4.0% in May

Thu 2 Jul 2026
Monthly
39,737 Annual consents over May 2026 year
4.0% May 2026 consents from April on a seas. adj. basis
22%pa Townhouse consents over May 2026 year
Residential building consents

Residential consents jump up 11% in April

Wed 3 Jun 2026
Monthly
39,087 Annual consents over April 2026 year
11% April 2026 consents from March on a seas. adj. basis
19%pa Multi-unit consents over April 2026 year
Residential 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. basis
14%pa Townhouse consents over March 2026 year