Building consent figures in Tauranga for July 2014 are the highest they have been since before the global financial crisis struck in 2007.

According to figures from Priority One a total of $54.5m worth of building consents were approved in July – well ahead of June's $30.8m and the $47.6m recorded in July 2013.

The planned Westpac centre to be built on Cameron Road.

The $54.5m is not only the two year high, but the highest total value recorded since November 2007. The two-year low was $19.5m, recorded in September 2012.

There were 216 building consents issued in July 2014, well ahead of 154 in June and slightly up on 208 recorded in July 2013.

It is the highest number of consents issued in a month since July 2010. The lowest monthly figure recorded in the last two years was 116 in December 2012.

About two thirds of the total consents value was for houses worth $30.6m in July. In June housing consents totalled $23.1m. Last July they totalled $24.5m.

This is a two year high, with the low over the same period just $12.5m recorded in September 2012.

The number of single dwelling consents was 88, ahead of 66 in June and 68 recorded in July 2013.

New commercial buildings

Commercial consents for July 2014 are $14.1m, including an amendment to a previous commercial consent.

Priority One says it's well ahead of $2.9m applied for in June and the $12.5m recorded in July 2013.

Five large consents applied for in July 2014 include the $4.5m stage 1 of the new Westpac banking centre on Cameron Rd; a $2.5m fit out for new units at the Bob Owens Retirement Village in Bethlehem; the $2 million foundations of the new Trustpower head office in Durham St; the $1m fit out of a new birthing centre at Bethlehem, and an $800,000 amendment to a consent for stage two of a warehouse at Matarawa Place.

The two year high for commercial consents was $24.1m recorded in August 2012, with the low of $1.9m recorded in April 2013.

In July a total of 21 consents were approved, ahead of last month's eight and equal to that issued in July last year.

Commercial consents in Tauranga reached a two-year high in August 2012 when 31 were issued, while the low of nine was recorded in January 2014.

Government and community consents for July are valued at $50,000 - down from $1.9m in June and the $5.9m recorded in July 2013. The two year high was $20.2m recorded in December 2013, while the low of $0 was recorded in February 2014.

There was one government-community consent in this category in July. There were six in June. The two year high was 13, recorded in December 2013.

ACG purchased the 14ha kiwifruit orchard land on the corner of Keenan Rd and Pyes Pa Rd last year for the development of the school.

Western Bay consents

In the Western Bay building is recording the second highest amount in two years. Total value of consents was $11.7m in July - well up on $8.9m in June, and the $8.5m recorded in July 2013. The two year high is $12.8m recorded in September 2013. The two year low in the Western Bay is $5.0m recorded in March 2013.

Number of consents was 76, slightly down on 91 in June but one more than the 75 recorded in July 2013. The high over the last two years was 107 recorded in April 2013, the low of 30 was recorded in March 2013.

In July the total value of house consents was $5.9m - down on $6.8m for June, but ahead of the $4.6m recorded in July 2013. The two year high of $7.4m was in September 2013, the low of $2.2m was recorded in March of the same year.

New house consents issued in July was 17, less than 22 in June, but ahead of the 15 in July 2013. The two year high was 25 in September 2013. The low of seven was recorded in March 2013.

Commercial consents issued by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in July were valued at $200,000, ahead of last month's $188,000 and the $60,000 recorded in July 2013.

The two year high for commercial consents was $6.1m recorded in October 2012, while the low was $0 in January 2013. There were three commercial consents issued in July, ahead of two in June and one in July 2013. The two year high was 21 consents issued in April 2013, comprising 17 consents for dwellings at the Summerset Villages retirement complex.

Government and community consents issued in July are valued at $4.4m, well ahead of last month's $255,000 and the $2.8m recorded in July 2013.

The two year high in this category is because of the $4m consent issued for stage two of the ACG primary school at Pyes Pa.

The two year low of zero consents was in September and December 2013 and February 2014. The two year high was four consents recorded in seven different months over the two year period.