Council issued 234 building consents for new homes in 2021, nearly 100 more than the previous year.

The consents for new houses had an estimated cost of $101,257,697 – that compares to 138 new build consents worth $56,121,077 in 2020.

In total, 722 building consents were issued in 2021 for a range of projects, including farm buildings, educational buildings, office and retail buildings and re-sited houses. The combined value was $223,569,575.

In 2020, a total of 585 buildings consents were issued, for a combined value of $106,529,995.

Strategy and Compliance Group Manager Jane Donaldson said the continued high level of building activity had translated into pressure on Council’s building team, who were doing their best to process consents and carry out building inspections within expected timeframes.

“The trend nationwide is also for smaller houses, but we are seeing the opposite in the Ashburton district, with homes that are larger and more complex.”

Advice for those applying for consents and wait times is being regularly updated on Council’s website.

“We urge people to be patient, we are doing the best we can to process consents as quickly as possible and we will keep them informed,” she said.