There were 2,418 new homes consented in April 2025, a 17% decrease compared with April 2024, according to figures recently released by Statistics New Zealand. “The drop in the number of new homes consented in April 2025 may have been impacted by the timing of Easter weekend and Anzac Day, with people potentially taking time […]

The Government has allocated $100 million to be lent to developers for housing infrastructure and aims to streamline the Resource Management Act, which currently restricts the availability of land for development. Housing and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop announced the suite of changes aimed at accelerating outer-city housing development. “The government is committed to letting our […]

Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury, Dr Brian Guo lists three adjectives that will shape the future of engineering: digital, sustainable, and resilient. “It’s a pretty awesome time to be in the field!” he exclaims. “In a nutshell, the future of engineering is all about […]

Government Introduces Self-Certification Scheme for Trusted Builders The Government has gone ahead with their new scheme to allow trusted builders to sign off on their own work. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced that, in turn, the government would also set a mandatory target to tackle building inspection wait times. Inspection targets will come […]

Government Takes Action to Protect Power Lines The government has now agreed to amendments to the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003, which will lower the risk of power lines from trees that are close to but aren’t immediately beside the line. Energy Minister Hon Simon Watts says improving the current system to better protect […]

New home consents down overall, but South Island bucks the trend There were 34,062 new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand in the year ended March 2025, down 3.3% compared with the year ended March 2024, according to new figures released by Stats NZ. In the year ended March 2025, the North Island recorded 23,570 […]