Statistics New Zealand said, the total number of building permits issued in New Zealand advanced a seasonally adjusted 5.1 percent on month in December, standing at 2,382. That following the upwardly revised 1.9 percent decline in November (originally -2.0 percent).

In the year ended December 2018, the actual number of new dwellings consented was 32,996, up 6.1 percent from the December 2017 year.

The annual value of non-residential building work consented was NZ$7.1 billion, up 9.0 percent from the December 2017 year.

New dwelling consents

In December 2018, 2,382 new dwellings were consented:

• 1,492 stand-alone houses

• 451 townhouses, flats, and units

• 273 apartments.

• 166 retirement village units.

For stand-alone houses only, the seasonally adjusted number fell 3.2 percent, after rising 1.4 percent in November and 6.0 percent in October.