Housing consent numbers remain low

Building consent statistics show the number of new housing units authorised remains at a low level, with
1,168 units authorised in November 2008, Statistics New Zealand said today. This is the lowest monthly
total since January 1992.

Excluding apartments, there were 1,052 new housing units authorised in November 2008, the lowest
monthly total since the series began in January 1990.

In November 2008, the seasonally adjusted number of authorised new housing units (excluding apartments)
fell 4.0 percent compared with October 2008.

For the year ended November 2008, compared with the previous November year, the authorised number of
new housing units (including apartments) fell 26 percent, to 19,068 units. This is the lowest annual
total since the April 1994 year.

For the year ended November 2008, the value of consents issued for residential buildings fell $1,462 million
(19 percent), while the value for non-residential buildings rose $272 million (6.5 percent), compared with the
year ended November 2007.

Highlights
•
1,168 new dwelling units were authorised, the lowest monthly total since January 1992.
•
116 new apartment units were authorised.
•
The seasonally adjusted number of new dwelling units, excluding apartments, fell 4.0 percent.
•
Residential building consent values totalled $454 million, down 35 percent compared with November
2007.
•
Non-residential building consent values totalled $398 million, down 0.8 percent compared with
November 2007.