Building activity has hit an 11-year high, with consents issued for more than 28,000 new dwellings in the year to April, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

Statistics New Zealand data released today shows 28,038 consents were issued, up 12 per cent from 25,068 in the previous year and more than double the 13,236 five years ago.

“This is the longest and strongest period of growth in residential construction in New Zealand history, with four consecutive years of 10 per cent plus growth nationally and 15 per cent plus growth in Auckland. This is important because supply is at the core of New Zealand’s challenges around affordable, social and emergency housing,” Dr Smith says.

The value of residential and commercial building work for the year to April of $17.6 billion is an all-time high and 14 per cent up on the previous year.

“We are on schedule for 85,000 new homes to be built across New Zealand in this term of Parliament, up from 60,000 last term. We are also on track for an all-time record of 36,000 homes being built in Auckland, which would be the largest in any Parliamentary term.

“This rate of growth is double what Labour said they thought was possible under their KiwiBuild policy at the last election.

“These figures show a dramatic growth in building activity in the regions. This building boom began in Christchurch in 2012, spread to Auckland in 2014 and is now flowing to centres such as Whangarei (531 up from 346, a 53 per cent increase), Palmerston North (259 from 165, up 57 per cent), Queenstown Lakes (894 from 638, up 40 per cent), Tauranga (1328 from 1055, up 26 per cent) and Hamilton (1049 from 835, up 26 per cent). These compare to Auckland (9353 from 8155, up 15 per cent) and Christchurch (3905 from 4293, down 9 per cent).

“We are going to need to maintain this strong growth in building activity to keep up with New Zealand’s population growth, which is the result of record numbers of Kiwis coming home.

“We intend to continue to roll out a consistent and considered plan to improve housing supply and affordability. The next step will be announcing a proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity on Thursday.”