Building consents drop in December

The value of consents issued for both residential and non-residential buildings dropped in the month of December 2010, compared with December 2009, Statistics New Zealand said today. Residential consent values fell 26 percent, to $368 million – the lowest value since early 2009. Non-residential consent values fell 18 percent, to $332 million. 

While there was a drop in the monthly figures, in the year ended December 2010, residential consent values rose 8.9 percent compared with 2009 (but were still 11 percent below 2008). In contrast, the annual value of non-residential consents fell 17 percent (2009 had the highest value on record for a December year).

"In December 2010, consents were issued for 994 new homes including apartments," business statistics manager Louise Holmes-Oliver said. "This is the first time the number has dropped below a thousand in a December month since the series began in 1965."

Included in the consents for new homes in December 2010 were 85 new apartments (only 12 of which were assisted-living apartments associated with retirement villages), and 909 other new homes.

The seasonally adjusted number of new homes authorised, excluding apartments, fell 11 percent in December 2010, the sixth consecutive monthly fall. Including apartments, there was a seasonally adjusted fall of 19 percent, following a 7.8 percent rise in November 2010.

In Canterbury, about 30 earthquake-related consents were identified in December 2010, which included two homes. The total value of consents was $10 million.

Data for building consents is obtained each month from all territorial authorities. 

Geoff Bascand 31 January 2011

Government Statistician