Building consents · Stats NZ figures to September 2026
Building consents in Otago
2,910 new homes were consented in the Otago Region in the year to September 2026, up 9% on the year before. They also consented $502m of non-residential building work, up 4% on the year before. Below: 63,005 consents we hold in Otago, searchable and on the map.
New homes consented each month
Dwellings in new building consents, the Otago Region, the last five years.
Since 1991: houses and everything else
New homes consented each year, houses against townhouses, flats, units, apartments and retirement village units. The most in one year was 2,630 in 2025.
Non-residential building work each month
The value of new and altered non-residential buildings consented — offices, shops, factories, warehouses, farm buildings, schools, hospitals — the Otago Region, the last five years.
What is being built
Non-residential building work consented in the year to September 2026, by type: the value of new and altered work, new floor area, and what new floor area cost to build per square metre.
- Hotels and motels$86.5m
10 buildings · 13,837 m² new floor area · $5,135/m² new · +69% on the year before
- Shops, restaurants and bars$81.3m
19 buildings · 16,902 m² new floor area · $3,100/m² new · +72% on the year before
- Social, cultural and religious$57.4m
19 buildings · 9,833 m² new floor area · $4,957/m² new · +1% on the year before
- Factories and industrial$52.5m
35 buildings · 12,768 m² new floor area · $3,270/m² new · +81% on the year before
- Offices$51.8m
14 buildings · 5,500 m² new floor area · $5,292/m² new · +61% on the year before
- Education$46.2m
13 buildings · 5,542 m² new floor area · $4,231/m² new · +20% on the year before
- Hospitals and health$41.4m
6 buildings · 3,020 m² new floor area · $10,927/m² new · −79% on the year before
- Hostels, boarding houses and prisons$39.9m
5 buildings · 6,764 m² new floor area · $4,011/m² new · +1048% on the year before
- Farm buildings$28.3m
172 buildings · 49,311 m² new floor area · $565/m² new · +75% on the year before
- Warehouses and storage$17m
16 buildings · 11,957 m² new floor area · $1,319/m² new · +53% on the year before
Councils compared
The year to September 2026 against the year before.
| Council | New homes | Change | Non-residential | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queenstown-Lakes District | 1,981 | +11% | $237m | +91% |
| Dunedin City | 501 | +7% | $135m | −49% |
| Central Otago District | 311 | +2% | $63.3m | +44% |
| Waitaki District | 82 | +6% | $28.4m | −27% |
| Clutha District | 54 | −7% | $46.6m | +218% |
Consents on record in Otago
Individual building consents we hold, each on its property: 63,005 from 22 Feb 1988 to 1 Oct 2026. Councils publish their records unevenly, so these are what we have, not every consent issued — for the full count, see the official figures above.
What the work is
Consents in the last five years by the kind of work their description names.
- New homes5,184
1,067 in the last 12 months · typically $621k
- Fires and heating3,930
721 in the last 12 months · typically $5,000
- Alterations and additions3,861
686 in the last 12 months · typically $36k
- Garages, sheds and carports1,391
226 in the last 12 months · typically $66k
- Plumbing, drainage and wastewater673
96 in the last 12 months · typically $10k
- Commercial alterations449
85 in the last 12 months · typically $180k
- Multiple homes421
76 in the last 12 months · typically $1m
- Minor dwellings and sleepouts417
80 in the last 12 months · typically $110k
- Decks, pergolas and verandahs406
72 in the last 12 months · typically $35k
- New commercial buildings306
74 in the last 12 months · typically $973k
Consents on record by month
The last three years. A recent dip is often records still to arrive.
Largest in the last 12 months
- $46mStage 2 of 2 - Construction of 7 storey hotel - Stage 2 includes Superstructure. Services, Architecture, Facade and Fire 2 Hylton Place, Queenstown
- $14.9mConstruction of a new supermarket building for Woolworths New Zealand Limited (70 Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Three Parks, ) 85-99 Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Wānaka
- $13.8mConstruction of 12 residential units (Units 1-5 are two levels, Units 6-12 are three levels) and a common basement carpark of 12 parking spaces under the units 1 5. 2 St Lukes Lane, Queenstown
- $13mStage 1- construction of substructure works (slab is excluded) for staff accommodation building with external carparking. 90-94 Thompson Street 90 Thompson Street, Queenstown
- $12.9mStage 1 of 3 - Construction of commercial building - Foundations, basement walls, floor slabs and sub-floor drainage only. , Arrowtown
63,005 consents
- New homes$470k
Construction of new dwg
- New homes$770k
New two storey residential dwelling with attached garage (Dwelling 1)
- New homes$750k
New two storey residential dwelling with attached garage (Dwelling 2)
- New homes$900k
Construction of single storey dwelling with attached garge
- Alterations and additions$150k
Convert outbuilding into Detached dwelling 3 bedroom dwelling - installation of freestanding woodburner / Metro Mega rad Base.
- New homes$2m
Construction of a detached dwelling with attached double garage.
- New homes$400k
Construction of a single storey detached dwelling with attached garage.
- New commercial buildings$1.2m
Construction of two storey multi-unit dwelling with attached garage
- Alterations and additions$830k
DINEX: Construct a single level multi unit dwelling with double garaging - Future Lot - 1153
- Alterations and additions$6,000
Alterations to 2-storey dwelling: Remove old gas fire and install in built Firenzo Topa, Firenzo/SFP Flue Kits or Davin Flue.
- Commercial alterations$3.6m
Swimming pool fencing
- New homes$750k
Construction of single storey residential dwelling and attached double garage and residential flat.
- Alterations and additions$200k
Alteration to existing 3 bedroom house to remove existing outdoor kitchen and fire, and add new outdoor living area.
- Alterations and additions$750k
Alteration to single storey dwelling: Ensuite bedroom and wardrobe extension to southern end on existing house.
- New homes$6.5m
Construction of single storey dwelling with attached garage and detached garden shed
- New homes$800k
Construction of a single storey multi-unit dwelling with attached garage.
- New homes$600k
Construction of a single storey dwelling + stand alone with detached garage.
- New homes$424k
Construction of single storey multi-unit dwelling
- New homes$800k
Construction of single storey multi-unit dwelling with attached garage
- New homes$600k
Construction of single storey dwelling with attached garage
- New homes$655k
Construction of single storey dwelling with attached garage
- New homes$1.3m
New two-story dwelling with attached garage and solid fuel fire
- Retaining walls$450k
Stage 1 of 3 - Construction of timber and UC column retaining walls, rockfall fence, safety barriers, road and drainage for a proposed new housing development
- Repairs, recladding and strengthening$600k
Alterations to existing dwelling - Proposed 12.3m2 extension, recladding, internal alterations & new gas fire.
- New commercial buildings$1.8m
Construction of a two storey commercial building with associated landscaping
ResidentialCommercial The dots are this page of the list.
Towns and cities in Otago
Where the consents we hold are, most in the last 12 months first.
- Queenstown740 / 19,953
- Dunedin695 / 8,764
- Wānaka586 / 15,486
- Cromwell189 / 1,273
- Mosgiel136 / 2,494
- Oamaru131 / 1,276
- Lake Hāwea128 / 2,733
- Alexandra119 / 859
- Arrowtown98 / 3,840
- Balclutha77 / 512
- Milton45 / 323
- Clinton39 / 84
- Clyde38 / 345
- Waikouaiti30 / 519
- Tapanui27 / 153
- Glenorchy20 / 648
- Outram19 / 217
- Palmerston19 / 147
- Kurow18 / 73
- Otematata16 / 149
- Waitati14 / 213
- Roxburgh13 / 124
- Lawrence13 / 112
- Omarama12 / 91
- Port Chalmers11 / 129
- Owaka11 / 85
- Kaitangata10 / 110
- Hampden10 / 83
- Kingston8 / 446
- Omakau8 / 85
- Kaka Point8 / 22
- Duntroon8 / 16
- Ranfurly6 / 107
- Herbert6 / 38
- Naseby5 / 72
- Patearoa5 / 20
- Middlemarch4 / 61
- Stirling4 / 46
- Taieri Mouth4 / 18
- Moeraki4 / 12
- Waitaki Bridge2 / 13
- Clydevale1 / 15
- Kyeburn1 / 9
- Gore1 / 6
- Saint Bathans1 / 3
- Te Anau0 / 34
- Mount Aspiring National Park0 / 19
- Oturehua0 / 5
- Fiordland National Park0 / 1
- Moa Creek0 / 1
Questions
How many building consents were issued in Otago?
In the year to September 2026, Stats NZ counted 2,910 new homes consented in the Otago Region, with $1.72b of residential and $502m of non-residential building work.
What is a building consent?
Written approval from a council (a building consent authority) that planned building work complies with the Building Code. Most new buildings, additions, structural alterations, fires and plumbing and drainage work need one; some minor work is exempt under Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004.
Where do these figures come from?
The official counts are Stats NZ’s monthly Building consents issued release (CC BY 4.0), covering every consent every council issues. The individual consents listed are ones we hold from councils’ records and other public sources; they are not a complete list for every council.