Far fewer building permits issued

11/04/2012 15:00

Number of building permits issued in 2011 down by 9 percent
Lowest number of building permits since 1953
Downturn in latter half of 2011
Number of new dwellings finished in 2011 marginally up

Last year, 56 thousand building permits were issued for new residential units, i.e. 9 percent fewer than in 2010 and the lowest number since 1953. The number of newly finished dwelling units increased by 3 percent according to the latest figures released by Statistics Netherlands.

The number of building permits issued in the first six months of 2011 grew by 6 percent relative to the same period one year previously. In the latter half of last year the situation deteriorated. The number of building permits issued during that period slumped by 19 percent. The number of building permits issued for owner and tenant-occupied houses declined.

Nearly 58 thousand new houses were finished in 2011, a growth by 3 percent. The number of owner as well as tenant-occupied dwelling units finished in 2011 increased modestly.

The government, housing corporations and private initiatives accounted for the increase in new owner-occupied residential units finished last year. The number of residential units built by commercial builders, like project developers, was approximately the same as in 2010.