Wellington field note · 12 months to July 2026
Wellington's growth is strong, but it is not region-wide
Wellington City, Porirua and Masterton drove the annual increase, while Kāpiti, Upper Hutt, Carterton and South Wairarapa declined. July was strong, but location and product remain decisive.
Analysis by Cameron Upton · Published by Bracen
2,301
new dwellings consented
+17.3%
on the previous year
5.6%
of New Zealand's total
The local read
Wellington consented 2,301 new dwellings in the latest 12 months, up 339 from the previous year. The region ranked 5 of 16 by volume.
Wellington City supplied most of the net regional increase, with Porirua and Masterton also rising strongly. Several other council areas moved backwards, so the 17.3 percent headline describes a concentrated recovery.
A business serving Wellington City or Porirua is reading a different market from one concentrated in Kāpiti or Upper Hutt. Masterton's sharp percentage and volume lift also makes the Wairarapa picture less uniform than a single regional number suggests.
Consents are an early pipeline signal. They are not construction starts, signed building contracts or proof of profitable demand.
What changed in the latest month
The territorial-authority series recorded 317 new dwellings in July, compared with 184 in the previous month and 233 in the same month last year.
July jumped above June and July last year. That supports the annual lift, while also raising the possibility that a small number of larger approvals influenced the month.
A single development can move a local monthly total sharply. The rolling year and area split remain the better capacity-planning view.
Where the work is moving
| Council area | Prior 12m | Latest 12m | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington City | 438 | 715 | +277 (+63.2%) |
| Lower Hutt City | 461 | 460 | -1 (-0.2%) |
| Porirua City | 232 | 345 | +113 (+48.7%) |
| Masterton District | 131 | 238 | +107 (+81.7%) |
| Kapiti Coast District | 307 | 230 | -77 (-25.1%) |
| Upper Hutt City | 273 | 226 | -47 (-17.2%) |
| South Wairarapa District | 58 | 55 | -3 (-5.2%) |
| Carterton District | 62 | 32 | -30 (-48.4%) |
The official regional series records 2,301 dwellings and the territorial-authority roll-up records 2,301. The two totals align for this release.
What kind of market is moving?
932
standalone houses, +19.5%
1,369
multi-unit and other dwellings, +15.8%
Multi-unit and other dwellings represent most of the detailed total. The region's growth is therefore more relevant to firms exposed to density and development work than to every standalone-home operator.
Multi-unit and other dwellings made up 59.5 percent of the detailed total. Consented value for new dwellings was $934m, up 18.1 percent from the previous year.
Average consented value per new dwelling rose 0.7 percent to roughly $406,000. Residential alteration value was $245m, down 7.8 percent from the previous year. These are consented values, not builder revenue or margin.
What to do with this
- Split Wellington City, Porirua and Masterton from the declining council areas in pipeline reporting.
- Separate multi-unit approvals from the detached and alteration work your team can win.
- Treat July as confirmation to investigate, not permission to hire ahead of signed starts.
The question for Wellington builders
Is Wellington's lift reaching smaller builders through real tenders and signed jobs, or remaining concentrated in larger multi-unit projects?
Get the next Wellington field note
One update when the next official release lands, with the local split and the operator read.
Sources: Stats NZ, Building consents issued: July 2026; Stats NZ, Building consents by territorial authority (Monthly). Figures are actual 12-month totals and are not seasonally adjusted. Consent value is nominal.
Wellington represented 5.6 percent of the national total and ranked 5 of 16 regions by consent volume.
Find builders serving Wellington.
View the latest Wellington building market report and issue history.