Another 12 special housing areas have been approved in New Zealand, bringing the total to 100.

NZ Housing Minister Nick Smith says the 100 areas have the capacity for 47,000 homes.

“There’s still a power of work ahead to turn special housing areas into homes that families can live in,” he said on Thursday.

“The subdivisions and house will need to be designed, consented and built – but the land zoning process which otherwise would have taken an average of three years is now being completed in a matter of weeks.”

The latest 12 areas are in Auckland, Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty.

They’re part of the government’s plan to increase the supply of houses and overcome the affordability crisis which is mainly affecting Auckland.

Dr Smith says the latest figures show houses are being consented at a rate of 2000 a month compared with 1000 when National came to power in 2008.

Building investment in 2014 was $NZ14.6 billion ($A13.87 billion), the highest ever.