Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures on building permits until April 2021.
Annual evolution
The number of permits issued for new residential buildings in the first 4 months of 2021 has increased by 7.7% to 11,170 buildings compared to the same period in 2020. The increase is the sharpest in the Walloon Region (+18.6%). In the Flemish Region, the number of permits issued for new residential buildings was 4.6% higher, and the Brussels-Capital Region registered a decrease of 6.3%.
(Figures for the first 4 months - number of building permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period)
| Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 10,252 | 7,210 | 2,881 | 161 | ||||
| 2010 | 10,427 | (+1.7%) | 7,504 | (+4.1%) | 2,841 | (-1.4%) | 82 | (-49.1%) |
| 2015 | 7,182 | (-31.1%) | 5,129 | (-31.6%) | 1,991 | (-29.9%) | 62 | (-24.4%) |
| 2016 | 10,201 | (+42.0%) | 8,060 | (+57.1%) | 2,057 | (+3.3%) | 84 | (+35.5%) |
| 2017 | 7,367 | (-27.8%) | 5,049 | (-37.4%) | 2,250 | (+9.4%) | 68 | (-19.0%) |
| 2018 | 11,330 | (+53.8%) | 9,038 | (+79.0%) | 2,227 | (-1.0%) | 65 | (-4.4%) |
| 2019 | 9,028 | (-20.3%) | 6,884 | (-23.8%) | 2,095 | (-5.9%) | 49 | (-24.6%) |
| 2020 | 10,369 | (+14.9%) | 7,936 | (+15.3%) | 2,369 | (+13.1%) | 63 | (+28.6%) |
| 2021 | 11,170 | (+7.7%) | 8,302 | (+4.6%) | 2,809 | (+18.6%) | 59 | (-6.3%) |
Monthly evolution
For the most recent month available, April 2021, building permits were issued for 2,674 new residential buildings. Compared to March 2021, this is a decrease of one fourth. In the Flemish Region, the decrease was 26.9%. The number of permits issued for new residential buildings has decreased by 17.7% in the Walloon Region. In the Brussels-Capital Region, permits were issued for 7 new residential buildings.
Monthly figures - number of permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period
| Month | Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 2,568 | 1,921 | 634 | 0.0% | 13 | |||
| 2020 | 2 | 2,435 | (-5.2%) | 1,944 | (+1.2%) | 476 | (-24.9%) | 14 | (+7.7%) |
| 2020 | 3 | 3,192 | (+31.1%) | 2,565 | (+31.9%) | 613 | (+28.8%) | 14 | 0.0% |
| 2020 | 4 | 2,174 | (-31.9%) | 1,506 | (-41.3%) | 646 | (+5.4%) | 22 | (+57.1%) |
| 2020 | 5 | 1,738 | (-20.1%) | 1,273 | (-15.5%) | 456 | (-29.4%) | 8 | (-63.6%) |
| 2020 | 6 | 2,293 | (+31.9%) | 1,828 | (+43.6%) | 460 | (+0.9%) | 5 | (-37.5%) |
| 2020 | 7 | 2,243 | (-2.2%) | 1,637 | (-10.4%) | 593 | (+28.9%) | 12 | (+140.0%) |
| 2020 | 8 | 2,442 | (+8.9%) | 1,739 | (+6.2%) | 698 | (+17.7%) | 5 | (-58.3%) |
| 2020 | 9 | 2,313 | (-5.3%) | 1,706 | (-1.9%) | 588 | (-15.8%) | 19 | (+280.0%) |
| 2020 | 10 | 2,628 | (+13.6%) | 2,029 | (+18.9%) | 583 | (-0.9%) | 16 | (-15.8%) |
| 2020 | 11 | 2,244 | (-14.6%) | 1,669 | (-17.7%) | 571 | (-2.1%) | 4 | (-75.0%) |
| 2020 | 12 | 2,380 | (+6.1%) | 1,839 | (+10.2%) | 525 | (-8.1%) | 16 | (+300.0%) |
| 2021 | 1 | 2,513 | (+5.6%) | 1,896 | (+3.1%) | 605 | (+15.2%) | 13 | (-18.8%) |
| 2021 | 2 | 2,421 | (-3.7%) | 1,822 | (-3.9%) | 585 | (-3.3%) | 13 | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 3 | 3,562 | (+47.1%) | 2,648 | (+45.3%) | 888 | (+51.8%) | 26 | (+100.0%) |
| 2021 | 4 | 2,674 | (-24.9%) | 1,936 | (-26.9%) | 731 | (-17.7%) | 7 | (-73.1%) |
The striking increase that can be observed in March 2021 is due to the tightening of energy standards for building permit applications from 1 January 2021. At the end of 2020, relatively more building permit applications were submitted to avoid these stricter standards, resulting in a higher number of building permits issued in March 2021. This effect can also be seen in a weakened form in the Walloon Region during the month of April 2021. In the Flemish Region, the number of permits issued for new residential buildings has been normalized again.
Long term evolution
Since 2007, the number of permits for the renovation of residential buildings was generally higher than the number of permits for the construction of new residential buildings. This changes briefly from the second quarter of 2018 onwards. From February 2019 onwards, the number of permits for the renovation of residential buildings is again higher than the number of permits for the construction of new residential buildings, but the difference remains small. In recent months, new buildings and renovations have been on about the same level. From 2003 onwards, more permits are issued for new apartments than for single family dwellings. During the years 2010-2011, both were at approximately the same level. Afterwards, the difference has been increasing again in favour of the apartments. In 2018, the difference is the greatest. From 2019 onwards, the gap narrows again.
New construction vs renovation Single family dwellings vs apartments
