Robust increase in residential building

The number of new houses completed last year rose by 10 percent to more than 80 thousand. The number of new flats in particular increased substantially in 2007 relative to 2006, as the latest figures released by Statistics Netherlands show.

Highest number of new houses completed in nearly a decade

In the period after 1998, the number of new houses completed reached a record level in 2007. With nearly 60 thousand units completed, residential building hit a low in 2003. Subsequently, the number of new dwellings completed has gradually grown. 

More new flats

The number of new flats completed in 2007 increased by 21 percent relative to 2006, the number of new single-family dwellings by 5 percent. The number of new flats increased in the rental as well as in the owner-occupied sector. Last year, there were 38 flats in every 100 newly-built residential units, as against 25 in 2000.

The largest increase in new dwellings was recorded in the province of North Holland in 2007, but the increase was also substantial in the provinces of Limburg, Overijssel and Drenthe. In the province of Zeeland, the increase was far below the level of 2006.

More dwellings nearing completion

In 2007, building permits were issued for nearly 88 thousand new dwellings, a decrease by 9 percent relative to 2006. Despite the decrease, the total stock of houses to be completed grew to nearly 177 thousand, an 4 percent increase compared to the end of 2006. If the number of houses for which building permits are granted exceeds the number of houses completed, the number of unfinished dwellings will increase. The average period of time between the moment the building permit was issued and completion of the new dwelling ranges from eighteen to twenty-four months.

Last year, the number of residential building permits issued in the provinces of North Brabant, Gelderland and North Holland increased relative to 2006. All other provinces reported a decrease.

64 thousand new units added to the housing stock in 2007

Last year, 64 thousand units were added to the housing stock; 80 thousand new houses became available, more than 7 thousand were converted or split into smaller units and nearly 24 thousand dwellings were removed from the stock. By the end of 2007, the Dutch housing stock covered just over 7 million units.

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