11,291 residential building consents were issued in the December quarter.
Photo: 123RF, Andy Dean Photography
The latest figures from Stats NZ shows 11,291 new homes were given the green light over the three month period, surpassing the previous record set back in 1973 of 10,713.
The total number of new homes consented last year was 39,420, up by nearly 5 percent on 2019. If the rate of new homes consented continues like the December 2020 quarter, we could possibly see the annual figures surpass those from the 1970s, Stats NZ construction statistics manager Michael Heslop said.
However, the number of homes consented per 1000 people in the past is well below past highs.
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The greatest increase has come from new townhouses, flats, and units consented which rose from 8,208 in the year ended December 2019 to 11,603 in the year ended December 2020. They now make up nearly a third of all new homes consented.
“Consents indicate an intention to build, and most home construction is completed within a year or two after a consent is granted, though delays due to COVID-19 may have occurred for some projects,” Mr Heslop said.
“Typically, high levels of new homes consented are followed by high levels of building activity in following quarters, which has wide benefits for the economy.”
The number of jobs in construction grew strongly in 2020. High rises in construction jobs has more detail.