The number of building consents for new homes in New Zealand rebounded strongly in February.
Photo: 123 RF
New figures from Statistics NZ showed consents for new dwellings rose a seasonally adjusted 14 percent on top of January's modest gain.
It was the strongest monthly rise since June, and followed a steady decline in approvals through the second half of last year.
The number of consents for new houses led the gains, while apartments and townhouses held steady.
More than 30,000 consents for new dwellings were granted in the year ended February, the highest in 12 years.
Statistics NZ said a third of the new consents were for the Auckland region, with solid growth also in Waikato-Bay of Plenty, but there was further decline in Canterbury.