Christchurch again dominated New Zealand's building activity for the quarter to June, as residential activity across the country was flat and unchanged.
Nationally, commercial work rose 2.5% and the combined all activity rose 1%, according to Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) data released yesterday.
Westpac economist Michael Gordon said growth was led by Canterbury, in particular a 15% increase in non-residential work, by value, while construction was ''broadly unchanged for the rest of the country''.
In Christchurch, residential activity was up 0.3%, commercial rose 15% and the combined all activity rose 5.6%.
''The trend for all building activity in Canterbury continues to grow, still led by residential buildings,'' SNZ said.
For the quarter, all Canterbury building work was up 5.6% and worth $970 million, albeit it down from the previous quarter's 24% growth.
The unadjusted value of all building activity in the quarter to June was $3.8 billion - $2.3 billion residential building work and $1.4 billion non-residential building work.
Mr Gordon said New Zealand building work rose 1% in the June quarter, which followed a record 15% rise in the March quarter.
''That appears to have been a catch-up .. . of work that had been consented over the previous year,'' Mr Gordon said.
SNZ data last week said Canterbury consents had fallen 15% in July, but this followed a strong result in June.
For the year to July, Canterbury dwelling consents issued increased 42% on the same period last year.
SNZ said the trend for all building activity had been generally rising for nearly three years, and was just 0.7% lower than the series high in the June 2005 quarter.