New housing units continue to decline

The trend for the number of new housing units authorised is still declining, Statistics New Zealand saidtoday.

The latest five months all show a decrease.In November 2007 there were 2,189 new housing units authorised, a decrease of 43 housing unitscompared with November 2006.

Consents for 66 new apartment units were issued, 113 fewer than inNovember a year earlier.

There were 53 fewer housing units authorised in the North Island and 10 more authorised in the SouthIsland, compared with November 2006.

Half of the 16 regions authorised fewer units. The largest decreasewas 38 units, in Northland, and the largest increase was 32 units, in Auckland.

The trend for the value of residential buildings is also declining. Despite this, residential building consentsauthorised in November 2007 were up 4.2 percent from November 2006, to $695 million.Non-residential building consents totalled $401 million in November 2007, up 6.7 percent from November2006.

The largest increase was for hospitals and nursing homes