Dwelling consents show big increase

Building consents are up in Northland.

Business is booming in Northland's building sector, with 85 residential building consents granted in October.

Data from Statistics New Zealand reveal there were 22 more dwelling consents in Northland in October this year, compared with the same month in 2013.

The Kaipara district had the biggest increase from 12 in October 2013 to 25 in October this year while the Far North increased from 15 to 21.

Owner of Whangarei-based Rob Littlejohn Builder, Rob Littlejohn, said his company was one of many noticing positive effects from the increase in building permits.

"There has definitely been an increase in jobs available which started about six months ago. Most people I talk to are saying 'yes they have got enough work'. It's the total opposite to last year.

"People seem a bit more secure and think 'summer is here so it's time to build'. There is more confidence out there, more job security," he said.

Northland trends reflected a similar increase nationally for new dwelling consent permits.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings consented during the month of October 2014 increased by 8.8 per cent over the previous month - after decreasing 12 per cent in September.

Statistics New Zealand business indicators manager, Neil Kelly, said long term building consent trends were expected to continue improving in the following months.

"In the seasonally adjusted numbers, we have actually had a bounce back in October but it's a bounce back after a fall the previous month."

The regions which consented the most new dwellings in October were:

-Canterbury - 686 (including 34 apartments)
-Auckland - 591 (including 106 apartments)
-Waikato - 194 (including 12 apartments).

More than $1.3 billion of building work was consented.