Building activity remains steady

BUILDING consents issued by the Manawatu District Council during the 2007/08 financial year fell short of the previous year’s record total in value terms and numbers, but still showed that building activity in the district remained relatively steady when compared to other areas in New Zealand.

A total of 1088 consents valued at $78.5 million were issued in the year ending June 30, as against $82.4 million from 1243 consents in 2006/07. Even though the value of consents was down nearly $4 million, it still represented one of the highest on record.

Principal Building Officer, Chris Henry, said the building industry in Manawatu and Palmerston North did not experience the big highs and lows of an Auckland or Tauranga and appeared to sustain a “steady as she goes” approach.

Mr Henry said a late surge in applications last month was due to an announced increase in building fees from Tuesday, July 1, with 31 consents (about 500 percent above the daily average) having to be handled on the Monday.

He also expected demand in the 2008/09 financial year to threaten the record totals, especially with the Air Force likely to put through some “pretty big stuff” in the next six months as development work on its Ohakea base gathered momentum.

“I expect figures for the past year to be more than matched,” he said. “There have been consents for some commercial activity, and a few more houses than normal, and we are still getting applications for garages and farm sheds.”

He said residential development in Feilding was continuing in a number of areas, including the Mount Taylor site, and there was still a lot of interest in lifestyle blocks as city residents looked for rural locations.

 

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Annual consents issued

 

Year Number Value

1998/1999 935 23,711,360

1999/2000 1074 25,429,011

2000/2001 1012 30,049,133

2001/2002 1115 31,338,317

2002/2003 1122 31,662,852

2003/2004 1275 41,177,699

2004/2005 1301 51,000,206

2005/2006 1280 68,050,016

2006/2007 1243 82,414,806

2007/2008 1088 78,513,749