NZ residential building consents rise to 13-year high in 2017, led by apartments, townhouses

NZ residential building consents rise to 13-year high in 2017, led by apartments, townhouses
Tina Morrison
By Tina Morrison Feb. 2 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand residential building consents advanced 3.4 percent last year to their highest level in 13 years as a jump in apartment and townhouse consents offset a decline in stand-alone houses. A total of 31,087 new homes were consented in 2017, up from 30,066 consents in 2016 and marking the highest level since 2004 when 31,423 new residential buildings were consented, according to Statistics New Zealand.  In the latest year, consents for apartment units surged 35 percent to a 13-year high of 3...