"Based on the amount of commercial investment planned, it is quite possible we will set another record this year," Hill said.
"However we need to offset that with the fact that the residential housing market seems to have cooled a little."
Hill said the number of available resources, such as tradespeople, to continue the unprecedented growth would also need to be considered to be able to reach another record.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief Stan Gregec said Tauranga was in the middle of a commercial building boom.
"The CBD will be transformed within the next decade to a new vibrant centre that will be hardly recognisable," he said.
Gregec said there was also plenty of demand for commercial office space in other parts of the city, as well as other construction projects from new residential villages to industrial warehouses and factories.
"We might have been late to the current building cycle, but expect it to have legs for some time to come," he said.
"Residential growth may have slowed but there's growth in just about every other area of construction."
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said the number of new commercial builds in the city indicated a strong economy.
"I think it needs to be a signal that our transport networks need to be up to scratch to meet that growth," he said.
Despite the slowdown in residential new builds, Hill said there had been an increase in activity for both commercial and government and community consents.
For the 12 months to July, commercial developments were 82 per cent higher than for the same period in 2016 to 2017 and government and community developments were 30 per cent higher.
A total $20.3m of commercial consents were issued in Tauranga for July.
That included $1.2m for new accommodation at Pacific Coast retirement village, $1.4m to reclad the Ambassador Inn motel on 15th Ave, $1.5m for 7 new industrial units at 25 Maru St, $3m for a mixed use industrial residential development at 46 Ashley Pl and $9.5m for the Bayfair retail expansion.
Greg Leopold, one of three developers of the industrial residential development at Ashley Pl, said the development would include two-bedroom self-contained units with a downstairs commercial area.
Leopold was promoting the units as a "live-in toy box" for people who owned recreational toys such as a boat, jet-ski or motorhome where people could live and work from.
"They are reasonably low maintenance, lock and leave set up," he said.
Leopold said the units were selling from $585,000 plus GST and were currently on the market, with construction to be complete by December next year.
Hill said the industrial residential development at Ashley Pl in Pāpāmoa would add a new mix to current housing options with the "lock and leave" developments increasingly sought after.
"This development is also near to main transport routes, schools and shopping services, so that will add to its competitiveness in the residential housing market," she said.
BUILDING CONSENTS: JULY 2018 SUMMARY – TAURANGA CITY
Total value:
July 2018: $79.8m
June 2018: $58.7m
July 2017: $76.8m
Total number:
July 2018: 192
June 2018: 193
July 2017: 268
Single dwelling consents:
Value:
July 2018: $28.7m
June 2018: $34.4m
July 2017: $54.8m
Number:
July 2018: 61
June 2018: 80
July 2017: 134
Commercial consents:
Value:
July 2018: $20.3m
June 2018: $19.1m
July 2017: $15.8m
Government & community consents:
Value:
July 2018: $25.2m
June 2018: $1.8m
July 2017: $135k
Number:
July 2018: 15
June 2018: 2
July 2017: 2
JULY 2018 SUMMARY – WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT
Total value:
July 2018: $13.9m
June 2018: $17.5m
July 2017: $25.3m
Number:
July 2018: 122
June 2018: 108
July 2017: 130
Single dwelling consents:
Value:
July 2018: $9.2m
June 2018: $10.7m
July 2017: $15.6m
Commercial consents:
Value:
July 2018: $242,000
June 2018: $2.5m
July 2017: $4.4m
Number:
July 2018: 3
June 2018: 4
July 2017: 10
Government & community consents:
Value:
July 2018: $115,000
June 2018: $650,000
July 2017: $314,000
Number:
July 2018: 2
June 2018: 2
July 2017: 1
