Stats NZ

Building consents issued: March 2023

Building consent statistics are about the number, floor area, and value of new homes, non-residential buildings, and alterations approved for construction.

Use the open-source tool 7-Zip to decompress the CSV files below.

Key facts

  • In March 2023, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings consented rose 7.0 percent, after falling 9.4 percent in February 2023.
  • In the year ended March 2023, the actual number of new dwellings consented was 46,924, down 7.9 percent from the year ended March 2022.
  • The annual value of non-residential building work consented was $9.6 billion, up 11 percent from the year ended March 2022.
  • In the year ended March 2023, the number of new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents was 9.2, compared with 10 in the year ended March 2022.

New dwellings consented

In March 2023, there were 3,970 new dwellings consented, comprising:

  • 1,820 townhouses, flats, and units
  • 1,586 stand-alone houses
  • 327 apartments
  • 237 retirement village units.

The number of dwellings consented each month can vary significantly due to the timing of large multi-dwelling projects, such as townhouses and apartment buildings.

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberNew dwellings consented, monthly, January 1995–March 2023ActualSeasonally adjustedTrendJan-1995Jul-1995Jan-1996Jul-1996Jan-1997Jul-1997Jan-1998Jul-1998Jan-1999Jul-1999Jan-2000Jul-2000Jan-2001Jul-2001Jan-2002Jul-2002Jan-2003Jul-2003Jan-2004Jul-2004Jan-2005Jul-2005Jan-2006Jul-2006Jan-2007Jul-2007Jan-2008Jul-2008Jan-2009Jul-2009Jan-2010Jul-2010Jan-2011Jul-2011Jan-2012Jul-2012Jan-2013Jul-2013Jan-2014Jul-2014Jan-2015Jul-2015Jan-2016Jul-2016Jan-2017Jul-2017Jan-2018Jul-2018Jan-2019Jul-2019Jan-2020Jul-2020Jan-2021Jul-2021Jan-2022Jul-2022Jan-202301k2k3k4k5k6kStats NZ

New dwellings consented, monthly, January 1995–March 2023

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberNew dwellings consented, monthly, January 1995–March 2023ActualSeasonally adjustedTrendJan-1995Jul-1995Jan-1996Jul-1996Jan-1997Jul-1997Jan-1998Jul-1998Jan-1999Jul-1999Jan-2000Jul-2000Jan-2001Jul-2001Jan-2002Jul-2002Jan-2003Jul-2003Jan-2004Jul-2004Jan-2005Jul-2005Jan-2006Jul-2006Jan-2007Jul-2007Jan-2008Jul-2008Jan-2009Jul-2009Jan-2010Jul-2010Jan-2011Jul-2011Jan-2012Jul-2012Jan-2013Jul-2013Jan-2014Jul-2014Jan-2015Jul-2015Jan-2016Jul-2016Jan-2017Jul-2017Jan-2018Jul-2018Jan-2019Jul-2019Jan-2020Jul-2020Jan-2021Jul-2021Jan-2022Jul-2022Jan-202302k4k6kStats NZ
MonthActualSeasonally adjustedTrend
Jan-19951,5061,8621,865
Feb-19951,9141,9501,823
Mar-19952,0601,7461,777
Apr-19951,4791,6831,733
May-19951,8301,6271,696
Jun-19951,7801,7591,673
Jul-19951,5031,6341,667
Aug-19951,7601,6681,674
Sep-19951,7591,7011,683
Oct-19952,0242,1071,694
Nov-19951,8781,6901,719
Dec-19951,6211,7651,767
Jan-19961,5121,7541,838
Feb-19961,9091,9011,911
Mar-19962,1872,0301,967
Apr-19962,0002,0411,986
May-19962,3372,1071,963
Jun-19961,6851,8471,910
Jul-19961,8441,7591,853
Aug-19961,8131,8081,815
Sep-19961,8131,7821,810
Oct-19961,8751,8531,832
Nov-19962,0451,8941,860
Dec-19961,8031,8801,877
Jan-19971,6431,9251,880
Feb-19971,7871,8881,887
Mar-19971,8211,8571,912
Apr-19972,0451,9121,961
May-19972,0941,9672,031
Jun-19972,0662,2162,105
Jul-19972,3442,2082,169
Aug-19972,1062,1652,206
Sep-19972,7302,4862,211
Oct-19972,1722,1502,185
Nov-19972,1662,1362,139
Dec-19972,1492,1342,078
Jan-19981,6011,9612,005
Feb-19982,0642,2481,917
Mar-19982,0461,8241,821
Apr-19981,6981,7781,729
May-19981,6371,5861,643
Jun-19981,5431,5671,573
Jul-19981,6481,5281,525
Aug-19981,5081,5531,508
Sep-19981,6611,4821,530
Oct-19981,4881,5381,589
Nov-19982,1071,9931,678
Dec-19981,7481,7801,792
Jan-19991,5501,9781,915
Feb-19991,7761,9892,029
Mar-19992,4022,1492,124
Apr-19992,2532,2182,202
May-19992,3772,3272,269
Jun-19992,0902,1212,324
Jul-19992,5282,4122,356
Aug-19992,4902,4012,359
Sep-19992,6332,4132,325
Oct-19992,1172,2432,256
Nov-19992,1821,9242,152
Dec-19991,9792,0442,030
Jan-20001,5271,9861,913
Feb-20001,6201,7411,825
Mar-20002,0621,7681,765
Apr-20001,4051,6111,729
May-20002,1031,8351,708
Jun-20001,5981,6691,694
Jul-20001,7561,7511,676
Aug-20001,7161,5671,642
Sep-20001,7281,6231,598
Oct-20001,5851,5891,556
Nov-20001,7001,5191,529
Dec-20001,2851,4591,527
Jan-20011,3351,5351,548
Feb-20011,3971,6181,583
Mar-20011,7621,5921,622
Apr-20011,5851,7511,661
May-20011,8561,6431,687
Jun-20011,6401,7561,707
Jul-20011,6901,5911,729
Aug-20012,0201,8771,748
Sep-20011,6781,6911,760
Oct-20011,9311,7961,768
Nov-20012,1481,9021,783
Dec-20011,4971,7091,811
Jan-20021,4861,7001,852
Feb-20021,7452,0151,914
Mar-20021,9862,0271,991
Apr-20022,2062,1162,065
May-20022,2822,0732,135
Jun-20021,8642,0882,188
Jul-20022,7382,4752,230
Aug-20022,1052,0682,280
Sep-20022,4202,3662,325
Oct-20023,4123,1842,347
Nov-20022,4322,2092,346
Dec-20022,5322,6672,327
Jan-20031,9952,2532,309
Feb-20031,7972,0212,299
Mar-20032,5372,4552,306
Apr-20032,2322,3312,354
May-20032,4852,4292,422
Jun-20032,3892,5492,502
Jul-20032,6212,4202,569
Aug-20032,7042,7842,616
Sep-20033,0032,7522,662
Oct-20032,5082,3292,711
Nov-20033,0322,9572,751
Dec-20032,6112,5252,783
Jan-20042,6723,1232,805
Feb-20042,5292,7762,810
Mar-20043,0372,6322,788
Apr-20042,5432,7992,716
May-20042,5442,6682,610
Jun-20043,4473,3832,502
Jul-20042,3542,3372,412
Aug-20042,2962,2312,360
Sep-20042,2912,1302,338
Oct-20042,6192,6722,346
Nov-20042,6752,3642,365
Dec-20042,4162,3452,359
Jan-20051,8982,3012,316
Feb-20052,1452,2702,245
Mar-20053,0272,9132,171
Apr-20051,6171,7372,118
May-20051,9771,9532,091
Jun-20052,1292,1602,068
Jul-20052,0052,0772,056
Aug-20052,3012,0862,055
Sep-20052,2832,1042,071
Oct-20051,9011,9642,107
Nov-20052,2952,0282,149
Dec-20052,4452,4952,187
Jan-20061,9002,1772,201
Feb-20062,2542,3282,183
Mar-20062,2992,0872,141
Apr-20061,5581,9452,101
May-20062,3282,1512,094
Jun-20061,9942,0212,134
Jul-20062,1452,2712,196
Aug-20062,4372,1892,241
Sep-20062,5452,4072,248
Oct-20062,3772,3272,214
Nov-20062,2322,0352,162
Dec-20061,8832,0112,116
Jan-20071,8802,0742,091
Feb-20072,0922,1232,095
Mar-20072,2692,1942,122
Apr-20071,7822,1302,159
May-20072,3222,1362,181
Jun-20072,5742,7152,179
Jul-20072,1602,1302,154
Aug-20072,5082,2672,114
Sep-20071,9881,9922,065
Oct-20072,0871,9242,015
Nov-20072,1891,9711,968
Dec-20071,7391,9141,927
Jan-20081,7431,9921,886
Feb-20081,8741,8011,836
Mar-20081,5671,7361,766
Apr-20082,3732,3871,678
May-20081,6531,5871,579
Jun-20081,3801,4991,478
Jul-20081,4351,3301,382
Aug-20081,3281,3151,294
Sep-20081,6351,4751,216
Oct-20081,1731,1001,154
Nov-20081,1681,1331,108
Dec-20081,1271,1251,077
Jan-20098129921,065
Feb-20091,0591,0931,067
Mar-20091,0911,0561,080
Apr-20091,0091,1081,095
May-20091,2381,2261,114
Jun-20091,1001,1221,143
Jul-20091,2141,1161,182
Aug-20091,1951,2181,229
Sep-20091,4301,2821,279
Oct-20091,4241,3941,326
Nov-20091,5001,3751,365
Dec-20091,3531,3861,392
Jan-20101,0421,3291,405
Feb-20101,3751,4401,414
Mar-20101,5011,4591,421
Apr-20101,4001,4171,421
May-20101,3601,3621,404
Jun-20101,3731,3881,368
Jul-20101,4731,4141,318
Aug-20101,2291,1961,263
Sep-20101,2621,1711,212
Oct-20101,1231,1361,166
Nov-20101,4701,2481,126
Dec-20109941,0201,094
Jan-20118671,1241,068
Feb-20119731,0351,045
Mar-20111,0871,0061,030
Apr-20119271,0121,031
May-20111,1391,0791,051
Jun-20119951,0361,084
Jul-20111,1701,1571,118
Aug-20111,5091,4021,152
Sep-20111,2461,1591,179
Oct-20111,2381,2721,200
Nov-20111,3841,1491,221
Dec-20111,1271,2071,241
Jan-20121,0981,3411,261
Feb-20121,2041,2341,280
Mar-20121,5591,5271,293
Apr-20121,2301,3641,307
May-20121,3721,2401,330
Jun-20121,2771,3661,361
Jul-20121,4781,3881,400
Aug-20121,5131,4241,435
Sep-20121,5201,5751,462
Oct-20121,6391,5011,485
Nov-20121,6581,4001,504
Dec-20121,3811,5321,528
Jan-20131,3121,5341,566
Feb-20131,5421,6961,615
Mar-20131,4751,6211,662
Apr-20131,7551,6741,697
May-20131,9711,8121,716
Jun-20131,5391,7301,722
Jul-20131,8931,6651,735
Aug-20131,7481,7171,763
Sep-20131,8621,8861,810
Oct-20131,8911,7601,865
Nov-20132,2671,9551,924
Dec-20132,0352,1011,973
Jan-20141,6441,9792,010
Feb-20141,7681,9472,038
Mar-20141,9992,0562,062
Apr-20142,0822,1362,078
May-20142,1252,0602,079
Jun-20142,0022,1412,068
Jul-20142,2822,0152,047
Aug-20142,0592,0682,033
Sep-20141,9851,9042,037
Oct-20142,1522,0312,062
Nov-20142,4202,1992,099
Dec-20142,1992,1392,140
Jan-20151,7032,2372,169
Feb-20151,7581,9332,176
Mar-20152,2712,2662,171
Apr-20152,1122,1612,164
May-20152,1712,1832,162
Jun-20152,0422,0062,169
Jul-20152,8242,4942,191
Aug-20152,2912,3032,233
Sep-20152,2422,1492,293
Oct-20152,3492,3482,358
Nov-20152,8312,4652,407
Dec-20152,5382,5472,425
Jan-20161,6952,3692,417
Feb-20162,3792,4782,408
Mar-20162,3152,2542,412
Apr-20162,3612,4242,438
May-20162,5202,3822,494
Jun-20162,7522,7362,560
Jul-20162,8112,7132,612
Aug-20162,8342,4962,626
Sep-20162,6142,5732,602
Oct-20162,5752,7232,553
Nov-20163,0052,4462,507
Dec-20162,2052,4032,477
Jan-20171,7522,3692,462
Feb-20172,4182,5832,455
Mar-20172,7792,4832,462
Apr-20172,1062,5172,498
May-20172,7942,4452,547
Jun-20172,5602,5082,604
Jul-20172,7622,7342,664
Aug-20173,1662,8182,709
Sep-20172,7702,7832,714
Oct-20172,5492,5262,676
Nov-20173,2622,8172,621
Dec-20172,1692,5082,589
Jan-20181,9162,4282,613
Feb-20182,4122,5212,682
Mar-20182,9262,9492,766
Apr-20182,7292,9222,828
May-20183,4072,9512,849
Jun-20182,7922,8142,827
Jul-20182,7522,6112,768
Aug-20183,0752,7692,712
Sep-20182,5592,6902,699
Oct-20182,9262,7402,747
Nov-20183,1202,7572,828
Dec-20182,3822,8092,917
Jan-20192,4963,1612,992
Feb-20193,0983,2043,044
Mar-20193,1803,0373,068
Apr-20192,6052,8223,073
May-20193,7243,2033,084
Jun-20192,8873,0963,107
Jul-20193,4203,1283,143
Aug-20193,2653,1263,174
Sep-20193,3473,3383,190
Oct-20193,4123,2343,192
Nov-20193,2382,9953,194
Dec-20192,9553,2593,204
Jan-20202,5643,1973,223
Feb-20203,2853,3953,254
Mar-20202,9152,6333,285
Apr-20202,1742,4023,295
May-20203,5623,3483,280
Jun-20203,4773,3753,262
Jul-20203,3913,1893,267
Aug-20203,1563,2043,316
Sep-20203,6053,2803,418
Oct-20203,6593,6863,552
Nov-20203,8813,6873,693
Dec-20203,7513,8793,811
Jan-20213,0254,0713,890
Feb-20213,1293,2713,934
Mar-20214,2223,8033,970
Apr-20213,9954,1374,019
May-20214,2014,0394,085
Jun-20214,3164,1604,152
Jul-20214,2224,1964,208
Aug-20214,5084,3364,232
Sep-20214,5214,2134,225
Oct-20214,0484,2264,218
Nov-20214,6924,1434,232
Dec-20214,1284,2424,266
Jan-20222,8353,8314,307
Feb-20224,1954,4524,331
Mar-20225,3034,5564,322
Apr-20223,7194,1954,285
May-20224,5284,1514,232
Jun-20224,0374,0334,179
Jul-20224,1004,2124,141
Aug-20224,5474,1174,115
Sep-20224,6004,2504,074
Oct-20223,5683,7833,985
Nov-20224,6494,0243,850
Dec-20223,4573,7233,695
Jan-20232,7773,5333,551
Feb-20232,9723,2023,444
Mar-20233,9703,4253,385

The seasonally adjusted number of new stand-alone houses consented rose 0.2 percent, after falling 3.5 percent in February 2023.

In the March 2023 quarter, the seasonally adjusted number of new homes consented fell 8.4 percent, after falling 9.2 percent in the December 2022 quarter.

Regional new dwellings consented

By region, the numbers of new dwellings consented in the year ended March 2023 (compared with the year ended March 2022) were:

  • 20,312 in Auckland (down 5.4 percent)
  • 4,511 in Waikato (down 14 percent)
  • 3,607 in Wellington (down 6.0 percent)
  • 6,275 in rest of North Island (down 17 percent)
  • 8,171 in Canterbury (down 4.5 percent)
  • 4,047 in rest of South Island (down 5.3 percent).
Created with Highcharts 5.0.14RegionNumberNew dwellings consented, by region, year ended March 2021–2023202120222023NorthlandAucklandWaikatoBay of PlentyGisborneHawke's BayTaranakiManawatū-WhanganuiWellingtonTasmanNelsonMarlboroughWest CoastCanterburyOtagoSouthland01k2k3k4k5k6k7k8k9k10k11k12k13k14k15k16k17k18k19k20k21k22kStats NZ

New dwellings consented, by region, year ended March 2021–2023

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberNew dwellings consented, by region, year ended March 2021–2023202120222023NorthlandWaikatoGisborneTaranakiWellingtonNelsonWest CoastOtago01k2k3k4k5k6k7k8k9k10k11k12k13k14k15k16k17k18k19k20k21k22kStats NZ
Region202120222023
Northland1,1401,5011,480
Auckland17,49521,47720,312
Waikato4,3005,2414,511
Bay of Plenty2,2572,5331,918
Gisborne109183174
Hawke's Bay1,093996784
Taranaki712836588
Manawatū-Whanganui1,3971,5271,331
Wellington3,0373,8363,607
Tasman601549652
Nelson202282260
Marlborough241227307
West Coast129230245
Canterbury6,0838,5578,171
Otago1,8742,5062,186
Southland353480397

New dwellings consented per 1,000 residents

The number of new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents across New Zealand was 9.2 for the year ended March 2023, compared with 10 in the year ended March 2022. The record number of new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973.

National population estimates are updated quarterly, and subnational population estimates are updated annually in October, and are provisional. For more information about estimated resident population see Population.

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14RegionNumberNew dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, by region, year ended March 2021–2023202120222023NorthlandAucklandWaikatoBay of PlentyGisborneHawke's BayTaranakiManawatū-WhanganuiWellingtonTasmanNelsonMarlboroughWest CoastCanterburyOtagoSouthlandNew Zealand051015Stats NZ

New dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, by region, year ended March 2021–2023

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberNew dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, by region, year ended March 2021–2023202120222023NorthlandAucklandWaikatoBay of PlentyGisborneHawke's BayTaranakiManawatū-WhanganuiWellingtonTasmanNelsonMarlboroughWest CoastCanterburyOtagoSouthlandNew Zealand051015Stats NZ
Region202120222023
Northland5.77.47.3
Auckland10.312.712
Waikato8.510.28.8
Bay of Plenty6.67.35.5
Gisborne2.13.53.3
Hawke's Bay65.54.3
Taranaki5.66.64.6
Manawatū-Whanganui5.45.95.2
Wellington5.67.16.6
Tasman10.39.411.1
Nelson3.75.24.8
Marlborough4.74.45.9
West Coast3.977.5
Canterbury9.413.112.5
Otago7.710.28.9
Southland3.44.73.9
New Zealand8.1109.2

Non-residential building consents

In the year ended March 2023, non-residential building consents totalled $9.6 billion, up 11 percent from the year ended March 2022. This series can be influenced by price changes – non-residential construction prices (as measured by the capital goods price index) were up 10 percent in the year ended December 2022.

In the year ended March 2023, the non-residential building types with the highest values were:

  • offices, administration, and public transport buildings at $1.7 billion (up 53 percent)
  • storage buildings at $1.5 billion (up 20 percent)
  • education buildings at $1.5 billion (down 3.8 percent).
Created with Highcharts 5.0.14Building typeValue ($)Value of non-residential building consents ($), including alterations and additions, year ended March 2021–2023202120222023OfficesStorageEducationHealthFactoriesSocialShopsFarmHotelsHostels andprisonsHostels and prisons0500M1 000M1 500M2 000MStats NZ

Value of non-residential building consents ($), including alterations and additions, year ended March 2021–2023

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14Value ($)Value of non-residential building consents ($), including alterations and additions, year ended March 2021–2023202120222023OfficesStorageEducationHealthFactoriesSocialShopsFarmHotelsHostels andprisonsHostels and prisons0500M1 000M1 500M2 000MStats NZ
Building type202120222023
Offices1,040,122,2821,110,727,6281,699,027,824
Storage1,071,053,5111,278,300,3621,532,060,512
Education1,357,974,1711,522,781,7451,465,128,324
Health664,782,8521,010,763,9061,349,682,209
Factories972,093,7651,285,336,8891,074,127,671
Social620,572,726685,932,980949,141,966
Shops723,702,265855,059,223852,679,719
Farm287,466,406318,242,710311,985,621
Hotels508,588,486335,398,867308,778,700
Hostels and prisons272,208,101280,592,941107,076,217

More data

Use Infoshare for time-series data about building consents:

Subject category: Industry sectors
Group: Building consents – BLD

Definitions and metadata

Current methodology – Buildings consents issued from March 2015 – DataInfo+ provides the general methodology used to produce building consent statistics from March 2015 onward.

Building consents issued concepts from March 2015 onwards – DataInfo+ provides definitions of terms used in the release.

Building consents issued – DataInfo+ explains limitations of the data and changes over time.

Building consents issued frequently asked questions – DataInfo+ answers some common queries.

ISSN 1178-0231

Next release

Building consents issued: April 2023 will be released on 30 May 2023.

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