The number of Wanganui dwellings consented in March this year was exactly the same as March 2014 - just five, according to the latest figures from Statistics New Zealand.
In between, only one month saw consents crack double digits, when 10 residential buildings got the go-ahead last August.
Over the Wanganui-Manawatu region consents increased by just three, from 40 to 43. In total, the region's dwelling consents for March 2015 have been valued at $12 million, the same as March last year.
Simon Sheppard, Wanganui office manager at Gilmore Homes and Builders, said business had been unusually quiet this year.
"Generally, we would have had a spike by now, but it's actually been very flat."