Non-residential building consents
Auckland drives non-residential's last hurrah
29 Mar 2019
Our take on the latest Non-residential building consents (Fri 29 Mar 2019)
Value of non-res consents
$596m
In February 2019
Auckland consents up $168m from February 2018
Education building up $92m from February 2018
The key numbers...
- Non-residential consents are broadly in line with our expectations for the March quarter, and a good result for the March month would see activity beat our forecasts.
- The recent concentration of consent growth in Auckland is concerning given the industry’s pre-existing difficulties with completing work in the region on time. Capacity pressures remain intense, particularly given the collapse and withdrawal of firms previously operating in the vertical construction space.
- Low business confidence and weak investment intentions are being reinforced by slowing economic growth. We expect that these conditions will see non-residential consents peak later in 2019 and decline throughout 2020.
Value of consents granted
Annual total, $bn
...and our reaction
- Monthly non-residential consents in February were at their second-highest level in the last 11 months (seasonally adjusted).
- Activity in Auckland was again strong, with consents in the last four months up 52% on the same period a year earlier. In contrast, activity around the rest of New Zealand was up just 3.0%.
- After a brief rally in the final quarter of 2018, non-residential consents in Canterbury are declining again. The region’s $109m of consents in January and February is Canterbury’s lowest two-month total in seven years.
- Education and storage consents were both strong in February. Work at the University of Auckland and Balmoral School in Mt Eden were key contributors to education building, while a car handling facility at Ports of Auckland and a lift in consents in Christchurch underpinned the increase in storage building.
Latest updates
Premium
Non-residential building consents
Warehouses prevent further non-res falls in June
Mon 3 Aug 2026
Monthly
$701m Value of non-res consents in June 2026
7.4% Total non-res consents from May 2026 (seas adj)37%pa Warehouse consents from June 2025Premium
Non-residential building consents
Non-res consents weaker still in May
Thu 2 Jul 2026
Monthly
$789m Value of non-res consents in May 2026
19% Monthly consents from May 202549% Public sector consents from May 2025Non-residential building consents
Non-res consents mostly softer in April
Wed 3 Jun 2026
Monthly
$655m Value of non-res consents in April 2026
15% Monthly consents from April 2025
Office and education consents at lowest monthly levels in 5-6 yearsNon-residential building consents
Consents strong in March, but shadow of conflict looms
Fri 1 May 2026
Monthly
$862m Value of non-res consents in March 2026
15% Monthly consents from Mar 2025$119m Hostel consents from Mar 2025