The Queenstown Lakes District had an extraordinary ratio of 33.7 dwellings consented per 1000 residents in the year to September, Statistics New Zealand said.
Central Otago was the next highest in the region for housing growth — the number of dwellings consented there was 11.9 per 1000 residents.
Stats NZ recorded a rate of 3.6 in Dunedin, 3.2 in the Waitaki district and 3.1 in the Clutha district.
The numbers reinforced an observation from the ANZ Bank last month that Otago had a distinctly two-tier economy.
Otago’s overall economic strength was largely driven by Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago, the bank said.
Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover said the consent figures reflected what was apparent on the ground, as the district was growing rapidly.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council was doing its bit to support the government’s desire for housing growth, he said.
The district needed government agencies to "deliver on their core purposes to enable this growth to be successful".
Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sharon Fifield said economic results were strong for the Queenstown area and infrastructure needed to keep up.
Central Otago District Mayor Tamah Alley said the economy there was performing well, helped by a strong primary sector, population growth and the return of international tourism since the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was helped by being an attractive place to live.
"I’m optimistic that this economic performance will continue."
