More consents and concrete to start 2026

More homes are being consented to, and more concrete is being poured nationwide, yet non-residential activity continues to decline. Against the backdrop of high inflation and unemployment, the industry has an uncertain future. 

36,944 new homes were consented to in New Zealand in the year ended January 2026, says Stats NZ. That’s a 9.3% increase compared with the year ended January 2025. 

“New home consents increased over the year, with multi-unit homes continuing to play a significant role in the annual rise,” economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen said.

Townhouses, flats, and units made up nearly half of all new dwellings, climbing 14% to 16,175 for the year. Apartment consents surged 26% to 2,436, while retirement village units slipped 7.7% to 1,585. 

The number of standalone houses also rose, up 5% to 16,748, suggesting a modest but broad‑based recovery across market segments.

Concrete use signals an uptick in construction activity. After more than three years of annual declines, ready‑mixed concrete production showed its first positive gain, rising 0.4% in the December 2025 quarter from a year earlier, according to Infometrics’ Quarterly Market Insights for Concrete NZ.

Non‑residential construction, however, continues to contract as earlier declines in consents reduce the pipeline of commercial and industrial projects. 

Analysis suggests that new public infrastructure work and stabilising home-building are partially offsetting those losses, cushioning the total concrete demand.

Regional patterns show Auckland once again dominating, with 15,779 homes consented, up 13% and responsible for nearly 60% of the national increase. 

“Auckland accounted for nearly 60% of the national increase in new home consents over the year,” Feyen said.

Canterbury followed with 7,398 consents (up 12%), while Wellington posted one of the strongest regional lifts at 16%. Waikato and Otago also strengthened, up 8.5 and 11%, respectively.

Concrete stats echo this; the Christchurch metro area, Otago and Southland, and Northland led annual growth. 

Monthly, January 2026 recorded 2,528 new dwellings, 15% more than a year earlier. After a quiet December, the seasonally adjusted total rose 1.9%, hinting that the construction sector may finally be turning a corner, albeit cautiously, as the year unfolds.