Residential development

Building Consents statistics are used in both the public and private sectors as a leading indicator of the general level of residential development, economic activity, employment and investment.

Data for Building Consents is obtained monthly from all territorial authorities who record applications for building authorisations under the building consents system.

A building is classified according to its main intended function. Figures for new apartments are compiled from consents that have 10 or more new attached dwelling units (flats or apartments). If there are fewer than 10 flats or apartments on a consent, they are treated as being dwellings other than apartments. Apartment numbers often show large fluctuations from month to month and, unless removed from dwelling figures, can mask underlying movements.