New Zealand gave the green light for 11,291 homes to be built in the final quarter of 2020, a record high.
Figures from Statistics New Zealand show that the previous record was in December 1973, when 10,713 homes were given planning permission.
Townhouses and flats have seen the greatest surge, rising from 8,208 in 2019 to 11,603 in 2020.
Graph courtesy of Statistics New Zealand
Poto Williams, New Zealand’s building and construction minister, said: "The figures show that despite uncertainty caused by Covid-19 there is a lot of residential activity in the pipeline especially for townhouses, flats and units. Â
"As most residential building work is completed within two years of the consent being granted, the data will provide certainty to the construction sector of the anticipated activity in the coming years."
Top image: New Zealand government buildings (Brian Scantlebury/Dreamstime)
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