WELLINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - The number of new dwelling consents approved in New Zealand rose a seasonally adjusted 20.4 percent in July, the highest monthly rise in more than three years as more houses, apartments and flats were authorised, Statistics New Zealand reported on Monday.
Excluding apartments, flats, and retirement village units, the number of consents for new houses was up 11.6 percent, after a 0.1 percent fall in the previous month.
Building consents were 23.8 percent higher than the same month a year ago.
Auckland, where there is a significant housing shortage, and the Canterbury region, where earthquake rebuilding projects are underway, accounted for 63 percent of the number of consents issued nationwide.