Steady Increase in Dwelling Numbers
Consents were issued for 2,532 new dwelling units in December 2002, according to Statistics New Zealand. During the last
four months of the 2002 calendar year, consents issued for new dwellings averaged about 2,700 units each month.
This compares with averages of about 2,250 units per month in the four months ending August 2002, and about 1,850 units
per month during the first four months of the 2002 calendar year. Consents were issued for 27,208 new dwellings for the
2002 calendar year, up 6,669 units or 32 percent when compared with the previous year. The total number of new dwellings
for the 2002 calendar year is the largest total recorded since 1976.
In December 2002, consents for 642 new apartment units were issued compared with 572 in November 2002, and 1,526 in
October 2002. For the year ended December 2002, consents were issued for 5,610 new apartment units, up 2,797 or almost
double that recorded for the year ended December 2001.
The total value of non-residential building consents issued in December 2002 was $212 million.
This follows totals of $212 million in November 2002, and $177 million in October 2002. Consents issued for education
buildings were worth $56 million or 26 percent of the non-residential buildings total. Consents for shops, restaurants
and tavern buildings were worth $42 million or 20 percent of the non-residential buildings total.
Consents for factories and industrial buildings contributed $30 million or 14 percent in December 2002.
The total value of consents issued for all buildings in December 2002 was $660 million. The total value of consents for
all buildings for the year ended December 2002 was $7,769 million, up $1,207 million or 18 percent when compared with
the year ended December 2001.
Brian Pink
Government Statistician