The report for the October-December 2018 quarter was a talking point among councillors and Cromwell Community Board members at this week's board meeting.
A resource consent activity graph in the document illustrated a "steep upward trend" in submissions received since 2013.
A 40% growth had been noted since the start of last year in consent applications received.
At the meeting, community board chair Neil Gillespie said the planning, regulatory and community development section of the document told a "pretty huge and significant story".
"If you don't think there is growth happening or know how much, it's huge."
The council received 148 consent applications in the final quarter of last year, the same number as received the year before.