RLB has been counting cranes throughout New Zealand. Photo / Greg Bowker
RLB has been counting cranes throughout New Zealand. Photo / Greg Bowker
The number of long-term high-rise fixed and crawler cranes working on construction sites throughout New Zealand dropped 1 per cent in the last half-year as non-residential work declined.
The RLB Crane Index, out today, showed New Zealand had 144 cranes up late last year, which rose to a target="_blank">record 150 cranes in the six months to the end of February, but 148 cranes in the latest six months to August 31.
"Much of the decrease was attributed to non-residential cranes," the survey found, noting the number of cranes on residential sites was at an all-time peak.
Crane numbers are down slightly in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Auckland numbers fell from 108 in the February half-year to 104 cranes in the August half-year, after 21 long-term cranes came down from sites while 17 new cranes were added.
Auckland has 104 cranes, 12 are up in Wellington, 10 in Christchurch, eight in Queenstown, five in Tauranga, five in Dunedin and four in Hamilton.
Chris Haines, a director of cost consultant and quantity surveyors Rider Levett Bucknall in Auckland, noted the value of work in the June year was $30.9 billion, up 12.4 per cent compared to the June, 2021 year.
On residential jobs, 77 cranes are up, an increase of five from this year's first quarter. RLB said that included a record 59 cranes on Auckland housing and apartment sites and seven on retirement village sites.
Haines said: "Our housing market may have pulled back this year in sales volumes and prices after the record increases seen in 2021. But the record residential crane numbers in the current count are for long-term cranes on projects that will have been planned and funded in 2021.
Crane numbers dropped 1 per cent lately. Photo / supplied
Retirement villages, build-to-rent and Kāinga Ora sites are particularly busy, but Haines says the amount of work planned next year could be weaker.
The decrease in the non-residential crane numbers was mostly attributed to the civil sector, roading and bridge projects which had a net decrease of six cranes. The data centre and recreational sectors had a decrease of three cranes each.
However, offsetting these falls was a pickup in the health sector, where the number of cranes increased from two to six. Aged care cranes remained steady at seven.
Auckland's North Shore has 15 cranes, mostly on residential projects.
RLB said new cranes were added lately to the central plant and tunnel job at Auckland Hospital, Watercare's Central Interceptor, the Māngere pumping station, the Wynyard Quarter on the Manson's TCLM job, new apartments in the Tāmaki regeneration, Risland apartments in Meadowbank, Mt Eden apartments, Proxima Residences in Newton, Waipapa apartments in Mairangi Bay, Hobsonville Point's Catalina Bay Stage 2, McLeod Green in Te Atatu, Highbury Triangle Kāinga Ora residential, Augustus Park in Parnell, a large Mission Bay house and The Loxley at Takapuna.
Crane numbers fluctuate according to construction sector workloads. Photo / Greg Bowker
Cranes were added to data centre jobs at Westgate, Hobsonville and Silverdale, and work is nearing completion on Westgate's Costco project.
Dunedin has four extra cranes in the last six months, the highest number since RLB started keeping data. Two new cranes went up on the new $1b Dunedin Hospital development after one was removed for enabling works. Otago Polytechnic had a new crane, and Otago University's new Te Rangi Hiroa 450-bed hostel got one, also.
Christchurch crane numbers are continuing to drop, down from 12 to 10 in the latest six months. Four new long-term cranes were added but six were removed.
At the end of last month, StatsNZ said the number of new dwellings consented dropped 2.2 per cent in June, but were back up in July by 5 per cent.
Chris Haines says the construction cycle remains strong. Photo / supplied
All up, 50,614 new dwellings were consented throughout New Zealand in the July 2022 year, up 12 per cent from the July 2021 year.
In May, the Herald reported how housing consent applications were running at record highs.
Auckland received 21,743 new dwellings consented in the year to July, up 13 per cent, Waikato 5021 up 4.7 per cent, Wellington 3927, up 20 per cent, the rest of the North Island 7077 down 4.2 per cent, Canterbury had 8556 up 26 per cent and the rest of the South Island 4289 up 15 per cent.
In July, 4100 new dwelling consents were approved: 1853 for townhouses, flats, and units, 1730 for stand-alone houses, 320 retirement village units and 197 for apartments.
Non-residential building consents totalled $9b in the July year, up 14 per cent annually. The non-residential building types with the highest values were education buildings at $1.5b, storage buildings at $1.4b and offices, administration, and public transport buildings at $1.4b.
