Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Consents for new homes remain high
– Media release
1 September 2020
The number of new homes consented in July
2020 was 3,391, the third month in a row of relatively high numbers, after
a fall in April during the COVID-19 alert level 4 lockdown, Stats NZ said
today.
“More than 10,000 new homes were consented
in the last three months – the largest three-month rolling total since
the 1970s,” acting construction indicators manager Dave Adair said.
“The high number of new homes consented
was partly due to an increase in the number of townhouses, flats, and units.
“There may also be an element of catch-up
after non-essential businesses closed in April.”
A total of 6,805 consents were issued for
additions and alterations on stand-alone houses over the last three months,
after a drop in April. This is the second-highest three-month total since
records began in April 1990. The average in the last five years was 5,403.
“An increase in the number of consents for
additions and alterations for stand-alone houses in July coincides with
the border closure because of COVID-19, so some money set aside for overseas
holidays may have gone into fixing up homes,” Mr Adair said
“The high number of consents for new homes,
as well as additions and alterations to stand-alone houses, is a positive
sign for the residential construction industry, but it will take time to
see if consents are actually carried through to construction.”
Consents are an intention to build, while
value
of building work put in place measures
work completed, which better reflects delays or project cancellations.
Non-residential consents drop in July
2020 year
The value of non-residential building consents
for the year ended July 2020 was about $6.7 billion, dropping over 11 percent
from the year ended July 2019. In the last four months, the value of consents
for hotels, motels, and other short-term accommodation have been much lower
than most months in 2018 and 2019.
“We have seen the value of consents for
short-term accommodation buildings drop in the last four months, likely
reflecting the uncertainty the tourism industry is experiencing, with the
border closed to new international visitors,” Mr Adair said.
This fall does not consider existing projects,
which will be better understood in the Value of building work put in
place release in the coming quarters. This series measures work actually
completed, rather than consents, which indicate an intention to build.
The data may include insights into delays, cancellations, and the total
value of work put in place.
