Our take on the latest Residential building consents (Wed 3 Mar 2021)
New dwelling consents up 18%pa
Consents in Auckland up 48%pa in January
Annual consents fast approaching all-time high
The key numbers...
- New residential dwelling consents continue to grow, with 461 more dwelling approvals in January than a year prior.
- The annual number of new dwelling consents is up to 39,881, only 144 below the highest annual approvals on record (40,025 in 1974).
- Townhouses and apartments drove growth, with an additional 280 and 279 consents respectively. The 115%pa growth in apartments was particularly strong.
- Auckland contributed almost all the growth in consents, with 460 more consents pushing approvals in the region in January 2021 up by 48%pa.
- However, residential consents in the South Island were weak, down 15%pa, largely dragged down by Canterbury and Nelson.
Attached dwelling consents
Annual running total
...and our reaction
- New Zealand currently has a major housing shortage, contributing to a crisis in which prices are racing ahead (up 19%pa in January 2021). This house price growth is exacerbating inequality between people who own property and people who do not.
- These booming prices are helping support strong growth in residential consents, but consents will need to stay strong for some time before housing supply catches up to demand.
- Strong residential building activity has helped support the economy in its COVID-19 recovery, with growth in construction employment the biggest contributor to the recent decline in unemployment.
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