New Zealand Building Permits Fall 3.6% in June

Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand dropped 3.6% month-on-month in June 2026, following an upwardly revised 4.9% decline in May, marking the third decline so far this year. A total of 3,741 new dwellings were consented, including 1,658 stand-alone houses, 1,614 townhouses, 132 retirement village units, and 67 apartments. In the year ended June 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 40,581, up 19% from the year ended June 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.6 new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents, up from 6.4 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973.

Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand fell 4.0% month-on-month in May 2026, reversing from an upwardly revised 11.1% jump in April, marking the second decline so far this year and the steepest fall since last December. A total of 3,801 new dwellings were consented, including 1,835 stand-alone houses, 1,718 townhouses, flats, and units, 194 retirement village units, and 54 apartments. In the year ended May 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 39,737, up 19% from the year ended May 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.4 new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents, up from 6.3 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwelling consents per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973.

Building consents for new dwellings in New Zealand surged 10.9% month-on-month in April 2026, rebounding sharply from a downwardly revised 0.8% decline in March. A total of 3,692 new dwellings were consented, including 1,604 stand-alone houses, 1,530 townhouses, flats, and units, 499 apartments, and 59 retirement village units. In the year ended April 2026, the total number of new dwellings consented was 39,087, up 16% from the year ended April 2025. Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 7.3 new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents, up from 6.3 per 1,000 in the previous year. The record number of new dwellings consented per 1,000 residents was 13.4 in the year ended December 1973.