PostSource: New Zealand GovernmentMore than 40,000 new homes were consented in the year to June, pointing to a positive outlook for the sector, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “This is the first time since 2023 new home consents have exceeded that mark, and are up 19 per cent on the last year with strong increases across housing types – including stand-alone homes, townhouses and retirement villages,” Mr Penk says. “This is a significant turnaround for a sector that has faced some challenging conditions over recent years following a decline in building activity that began in 2022. “This data is encouraging to see, and this National-led Government is committed to continue fixing the basics and building the future. “The legislation will also enable Building Consent Authorities to voluntarily consolidate their functions improving consistency across the country, and introduce a fast-track 10-working-day consent pathway for new homes incorporating solar generation or other sustainable features.”