More houses built in first quarter

In the first quarter of 2005 the number of houses completed increased by 8 percent compared to last year’s first quarter. The number of building permits issued increased by 22 percent. Only in the provinces of Utrecht and Flevoland the number of houses completed as well as building permits issued decreased.

Newly-built houses in the first quarter

More houses completed

In the first quarter of 2005 the number of newly-built houses totalled 9.5 thousand, nearly 700 more than in the first quarter in 2004. The sharpest increase was found in the provinces of Groningen, Limburg and Overijssel. In the provinces of Flevoland, Drenthe, Utrecht, South Holland and North Brabant, the number of newly-built houses declined in the first quarter.

Houses completed, 1st quarter 2005

More building permits issued

In the first quarter of 2005 more than 17 thousand building permits were granted, an increase by over 3 thousand compared to last year’s first quarter. The increase was mainly found in South Holland, Overijssel and North Brabant. The most sizeable decrease of the first quarter of 2005 was registered in Utrecht.

Building permits granted, 1st quarter 2005

Fewer houses built in Utrecht and Flevoland

The number of building permits issued gives an clear indication of the number of houses to be built. The average period between the issue of a building permit and the actual completion of the dwelling ranges from one and a half to two years. In Utrecht and Flevoland fewer permits were granted and fewer houses built in the first quarter of 2005. In Overijssel and Limburg and, to a lesser extent, in the provinces of Gelderland and North Holland, more building permits were granted and more new houses were completed.

Cees Steijn