Wellington, March 6, 2026 — New dwelling consents in New Zealand showed a modest monthly rebound in January 2026, according to official data released by Statistics New Zealand.
Seasonally adjusted figures indicate that the number of new dwellings consented rose 1.9% from December 2025, when consents had declined 4.5%. In total, 2,528 new homes received approval in January, including 1,190 stand-alone houses (up 10% year-on-year), 1,004 townhouses, flats, and units, 145 apartments, and 189 retirement village units.
On an annual basis, the trend appears more encouraging: In the year ended January 2026, 36,944 new dwellings were consented, an increase of 9.3% compared to the year ended January 2025. This equates to 6.9 new dwellings per 1,000 residents, up from 6.4 per 1,000 in the prior period. Multi-unit developments continued to contribute significantly to the overall rise.
Industry observers view the January uptick as an early positive signal for the residential construction sector, particularly as building cost pressures have eased in recent months. However, the sector still faces broader challenges, including interest rates and supply chain factors. Non-residential building work consented in the year ended January remained largely flat, with a slight 0.3% decline in annual value to $8.9 billion.
Statistics NZ economic indicators spokesperson noted that the increase in consents reflects ongoing demand, especially in multi-unit housing formats.
(End)