Hon Dr Nick Smith

Minister for Building and Housing

30 September 2015 Media Statement

Auckland home build rate hits another high

The latest data from Statistics New Zealand showing the annual number of building consents in Auckland at an eight-year high have been welcomed today by Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith.

“The rate of new house build in Auckland remains strong. The 8615 consents issued in the year to August this year is the highest since 2007, while the 741 consents for the month of August is the highest number of consents issued in Auckland in any August since 2004,” Dr Smith says.

“I am also encouraged by the finding from Statistics New Zealand that the trend for consents in Auckland is continuing upward – this month reaching its highest point since November 2004. The trend is an important indicator of growth and confirms that the pace of Auckland’s build rate has picked up rapidly – more than doubling between 2012 and now.”

Today’s figures from Statistics New Zealand follow the recent release of the latest Auckland Housing Accord Monitoring Report and the National Construction Pipeline report, which indicated that strong momentum is currently underway and further predicted in Auckland. Last month’s Monitoring Report showed the longest and strongest period of growth in consents ever in Auckland, while the Pipeline report projected 80,000 new homes for the city by 2020.

“The Government’s focus remains on boosting the supply of new housing, to improve affordability and ensure that more New Zealanders are able to own their own home. We have a wide programme of work underway, including freeing up more land faster through the Auckland Housing Accord and the seven other Accords we have agreed with councils across the country. We are also constraining building materials costs, reining in development contributions, cutting compliance costs and improving productivity in the building and construction sector. Our $435 million HomeStart scheme will assist 90,000 into home ownership over the next five years.

“The next steps include the new tax measures that come into effect tomorrow, the Reserve Bank’s new tax measures that come into effect on 1 November, and the reforms to the Resource Management Act and the Building Act to address the long-term issues affecting housing supply and affordability.”

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