It is the highest number since the regional series began
The annual number of new homes consented in the North Island in the year to November 2020 is the highest figure since the regional series began in March 1991, according to Stats NZ.
Stats NZ revealed that the annual number of new homes consented in the North Island in the year ended November 2020 reached 29,310. Meanwhile, the number of new homes consented nationally hit 38,624, a 4.2% increase from 2019. The national annual total is the highest since July 1974 when 38,904 new homes were consented.
“Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, and Taranaki had record levels of new homes consented in the November 2020 year. These consents are an intention to build, and most home construction is completed within a year or two after a consent is granted, though COVID-19 may have caused delays for some projects,” said Stats NZ construction statistics manager Michael Heslop.
The number of new homes consented per 1,000 residents in Auckland increased by 0.7 to 9.5 in the year to November 2020, a significant increase from the Auckland series low of 2.2 seen in the year ended August 2009.
Meanwhile, the number of new homes consented per 1,000 residents in Canterbury increased by 0.6 to 9.0. As part of the city’s post-quake rebuild, the number of new homes consented per 1,000 residents peaked at 12.8 in the December 2014 year.
Auckland’s population in June 2020 was 1,717,500, accounting for around 44.1% of the North Island’s population. Meanwhile, Canterbury’s population was 645,900, which accounted for 54.4% of the South Island’s population.
“Townhouses, flats, and units have been a major driver of housing growth in recent years. Auckland, in particular, has seen a rapid increase in the number of medium- to high-density housing being consented,” Heslop said.
