Construction is still at record levels despite crane numbers lowering

Construction work in New Zealand is still at record levels despite a fall in the number of cranes standing tall on the skyline.

As expected Auckland is still going gangbusters, Christchurch work has been declining but is steady and construction in Queenstown is strong.

Quantity surveyors Rider Levett Bucknall's six-monthly report on crane numbers, a way of measuring the amount of construction activity, shows a small dip in crane numbers in Auckland, and a marked drop in Christchurch though construction levels in the Garden City remain solid.

Crane numbers peaked in the first half of 2019 at 148 - double the number when the crane count started in 2014 - and have dropped to 131 in the second half of 2019 with 95 of those in Auckland, 10 in Queenstown, nine in Christchurch, six in both Wellington and Tauranga, four in Hamilton and one in Dunedin.

The fall in crane numbers in the second half of 2019 was due mostly to big shopping and office developments and hotel projects progressing or nearing an end.

RLB director Chris Haines said "While we've experienced an easing of cranes numbers across New Zealand for the first time since 2017 and Auckland's crane count is also down for the first time since 2014 (by three cranes), overall construction activity remains strong and at record levels."

Cranes coming down on projects included the $790 million redevelopment of Westfield Mall in Newmarket, Auckland, and the $700m Commercial Bay office and retail complex on the Auckland waterfront and several hotels.

New cranes were being erected to service infrastructure projects, RLB said. A strong pipeline of infrastructure work for rail, water, runways, busways and other public infrastructure projects had been established. Some 22 cranes were now working on infrastructure projects nationwide, particularly in Auckland.

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