NZ residential building consents edge up 0.8% as apartments make up for dip in houses

NZ residential building consents edge up 0.8% as apartments make up for dip in houses
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth March 6 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand residential building permits rose in January as a pickup in consents for new apartments and townhouses made up for a decline in applications to build houses. Seasonally adjusted dwelling consents rose 0.8 percent to 2,234 in January, snapping two months of declines, Statistics New Zealand said. Permits for new houses fell 5 percent to 1,603, its fourth decline in five months. A jump in new permits for apartments and townhouses drove the increase, although those projects are relatively vo...