The average floor size of New Zealand's new homes has shrunk by 10 percent in the last year.

Stats NZ says it's down to the increase in consents for multi-unit homes, like townhouses and apartments.

Construction and Property Statistics Manager, Michael Heslop, says that type of housing has been continually increasing in Christchurch and Auckland.

He says in the Auckland region, more than 75 percent of housing consents are for multi-unit homes.

Additionally, the number of new housing consents in the North Island has dipped 2.6 percent, but jumped in the South, rising 13 percent.