Bay of Plenty builders are in buoyant mood after experiencing a 'pick-up” in business, with consents issued rising 26 per cent in the last month.

Figures released by Priority One for the month of March 2015 show 257 building consents, totalling $50.9million, were issued across the region by Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty District councils – an increase for both compared to February's figures.

Four commercial consents were issued for Tauriko in March. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Tauranga City Council issued 180 consents, valued at $41.7m - well up on the previous month's 142 at $39.6m. The high since November 2007 was $54.5m, recorded in July 2014. The two year low was $24.8m recorded in April 2013.

Single dwelling consents, including for multi-unit dwellings, were valued at $26.4m - more than the $23.1m recorded in February and the $19.6m recorded in March 2014.

The number of single dwelling consents was 80, and again well ahead of last month's 67 and the 62 consents issued 12 months earlier.

The big player in the propping up of TCC's commercial consents are four large approvals for developments at Tauriko.

A $1.1m workshop, two warehouse and office developments ($1.5m and $2.2m respectively), and 13 industrial units ($1.6m) were all issued.

Commercial consentswere valued at $9.5m - more than last month's $7.5m but less than the $11.3m issued in March a year ago. The number of commercial consents was 16, one less than February.

Brian Foster Designer Builders owner Brian Foster says there has been an evident pick-up in business for most builders across the city in recent times.

'We are really busy. Obviously the consents don't lie - they flow on to work for the guys and the builders,” says the former Tauranga Master Builders president.

With this spike in consents, however, comes more pressure on council to try and keep up with demand and reduce any delays in getting permits out.

By ironing out the various issues around permit delays, the number of consents issued would then increase.

'They [Tauranga City Council] are flat out, but they are trying their best to get us inspections when we want them,” explains Brian .

'Obviously they are still struggling with the 48-hour periods that they are meant to provide us with. This is probably due to the high number of consents and high number of inspections required for these consents.”