The total number of building permits issued in New Zealand decreased for the second straight month in April, figures from Statistics New Zealand showed Tuesday.
The number of new dwellings consented fell a seasonally adjusted 7.6 percent month-over-month in April, much faster than the 1.2 percent drop in March.
"Councils don't usually issue building consents on public holidays, so the timing of Easter drove a fall in April's building consents," business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly said.
In the year ended April 2017, 30,371 new homes were consented - up 8.3 percent from the previous 12 months, and the most for an April year since 2004.
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