Consents up, but more subdivisions needed

PHOTO/FILE

New data shows building consents in the Bay of Plenty are now ranking second highest nationally - but a Rotorua business leader says the city is "crying out" for new subdivisions.

Statistics NZ figures show in the year to June, Bay of Plenty was level second with Waikato, on eight per 1000, while Canterbury led with 11. The latest data shows the number of new homes consented nationally per capita has doubled over the past five years, but is still only half the level seen at the peak of the 1970s building boom.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh said the data confirmed what was being seen in Rotorua.

"I know the residential consents are up, probably not in the same numbers as Tauranga, but for Rotorua it's still an increase and still positive from where we were in previous years," he said.

"We're crying out for sections to be released for subdivision, and when we get that, we're going to go into boom mode here because the market's just going crazy."

Realty Services chief executive Ross Stanway said the latest figures reflected a continuing upward trend in the market.

Rotorua was seeing a lower percentage of new builds than Tauranga, but he noted that sale volumes had lifted significantly.

He confirmed there was a shortage of buildable land, but said pockets were becoming available.

"They are much needed. There is significantly increased awareness of Rotorua as a value-for-money proposition."

The growth in Tauranga reflected major new subdivisions in Papamoa, the Lakes and Omokoroa, he said.

"And particularly in Mount Maunganui, there has been a number of good strategically located older properties that have been bowled, with modern new homes going up."