Residential and building construction along with infrastructure has reached a new all-time high in New Zealand, reaching $17.8 billion, new figures show.

The building consent data from Statistics New Zealand reveals that 28,387 homes were consented in the past year, the highest number in 11 years, and the 9,434 consented in Auckland is continuing the strong growth over the past four years. The 732 for May is also the highest in 11 years.

The growth in Auckland for the residential construction centre was 26%, a total of $4.3 billion, and is about as fast as a sector can grow, according to Nick Smith, Building and Housing Minister.

He pointed out that this is treble the rate of $1.4 billion since his party came to office and the growth has been particularly dramatic in the past few years, since the Government entered into a Housing Accord with Auckland Council.

‘The construction sector is booming, with strong residential and commercial building activity across the country. The level of residential building activity in Auckland of $4.3 billion and nationwide of $11.4 billion is an all-time high in actual and inflation-adjusted terms,’ he explained.

‘This continues the longest and strongest period of growth in residential construction in New Zealand history. We are on track for 85,000 new homes to be built nationwide in this term of Parliament, up from 60,000 last term. Auckland is heading for an all-time record of 36,000 homes, the largest in any Parliamentary term,’ he added.

‘This record investment in residential construction is welcome because supply is the most important answer to New Zealand’s housing challenges. The Government is working on further initiatives to ensure this growth is maintained,’ he concluded.