A dip in Bay of Plenty building confidence is being propped up by Tauranga City's big commercial developments worth $13million in consents last month.

April's consent figures issued this week by Priority One show a total of $34.8m in consents last month, down from $41.8m in March, but up on the $24.8m issued in April 2013.

Construction continues on The Loft on the corner of The Strand and Harington Street. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

A total of 161 consents were issued, down from 176 from March, but slightly up on April 2013's 157.

Building consents for commercial projects increased from $11.3m in March to $13.2m in April - a significant increase on the two-year low of $1.9m recorded in April 2013.

A total of 15 commercial consents were issued, down on last month's 20 but ahead of the 13 recorded in April a year ago.

The rise is thanks to the $9m Progressive Enterprises supermarket development at Bureta and stage one of a warehouse development at the Tauriko Business Estate worth $900,000.

There is also the $900,000 for the fit-out of the new Lone Star restaurant at The Loft's redevelopment on The Strand, expected to be open next month.

Last July work began on demolishing the Tauranga Hotel making way for the multi-million dollar development – replacing the iconic hotel built in 1930.

The three storey development on the corner of The Strand and Harington Street, is a project to build retail, entertainment and office areas by Lady Rose Dairy, a company associated with Tauranga's Waddell family, who own Pak N Save on Cameron Road.

Veros Property Partners development manager Peter Williams, a spokesperson for the development, says everything is on track for the development to be complete next month.

With LoneStar taking up the ground floor and part of the first floor developers are still seeking office tenants for the remainder of the floor and the top floor.

Residential build consents fell last month from 62 in March 2014, to 50 last month. It follows a two-year high in February this year when a total of 79 consents were issued, while the low of 37 consents was recorded in December 2013

These were valued at $17.7m, slightly down on March's $19.6m, yet ahead of the $15.5m recorded in April 2013.