Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures on building permits until November 2018.
Annual evolution
The number of permits issued for new residential buildings in the first 11 months of 2018 has increased by 25.7 % to 26,145 buildings compared to the same period in 2017. This increase fully originates in the Flemish Region, where it amounted to 40.6 %. In the Walloon Region, the number of permits issued for new residential buildings was 7.8 % lower, and the Brussels-Capital Region registered a decrease of 23.2 %.
Table 1: Annual evolution - number of building permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period
| Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24,872 | 16,354 | 8,241 | 277 | ||||
| 2005 | 28,676 | (+15.3%) | 19,990 | (+22.2%) | 8,368 | (+1.5%) | 318 | (+14.8%) |
| 2010 | 25,622 | (-10.7%) | 17,712 | (-11.4%) | 7,671 | (-8.3%) | 239 | (-24.8%) |
| 2015 | 20,324 | (-20.7%) | 14,373 | (-18.9%) | 5,746 | (-25.1%) | 205 | (-14.2%) |
| 2016 | 21,458 | (+5.6%) | 15,704 | (+9.3%) | 5,569 | (-3.1%) | 185 | (-9.8%) |
| 2017 | 20,806 | (-3.0%) | 14,455 | (-8.0%) | 6,160 | (+10.6%) | 190 | (+2.7%) |
| 2018 | 26,145 | (+25.7%) | 20,321 | (+40.6%) | 5,677 | (-7.8%) | 146 | (-23.2%) |
Monthly evolution
For the most recent month available, November 2018, building permits were issued for 2,067 residential buildings. Compared to October 2018, this is a decrease of 1.2 %. The Flemish Region registered a decrease of 9.9 %. The number of building permits issued for new buildings has increased in the Walloon Region by 32.6 % and has remained stable in the Brussels-Capital Region compared to the previous month.
Table 2: Figures for the first 11 months of 2018 - number of building permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period
| month | Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | 2,375 | 1,714 | 644 | 17 | ||||
| 2018 | 2 | 2,478 | (+4.3%) | 2,028 | (+18.3%) | 430 | (-33.2%) | 20 | (+17.6%) |
| 2018 | 3 | 3,205 | (+29.3%) | 2,635 | (+29.9%) | 554 | (+28.8%) | 16 | (-20.0%) |
| 2018 | 4 | 3,174 | (-1.0%) | 2,632 | (-0.1%) | 530 | (-4.3%) | 12 | (-25.0%) |
| 2018 | 5 | 2,811 | (-11.4%) | 2,238 | (-15.0%) | 563 | (+6.2%) | 10 | (-16.7%) |
| 2018 | 6 | 2,167 | (-22.9%) | 1,546 | (-30.9%) | 611 | (+8.5%) | 10 | 0 |
| 2018 | 7 | 1,920 | (-11.4%) | 1,425 | (-7.8%) | 481 | (-21.3%) | 14 | (+40.0%) |
| 2018 | 8 | 1,870 | (-2.6%) | 1,344 | (-5.7%) | 518 | (+7.7%) | 8 | (-42.9%) |
| 2018 | 9 | 1,986 | (+6.2%) | 1,621 | (+20.6%) | 353 | (-31.9%) | 11 | (+37.5%) |
| 2018 | 10 | 2,092 | (+5.3%) | 1,651 | (+1.9%) | 427 | (+21.0%) | 14 | (+27.3%) |
| 2018 | 11 | 2,067 | (-1.2%) | 1,487 | (-9.9%) | 566 | (+32.6%) | 14 | 0 |
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 from the second quarter of 2018 onwards.
From 2003 onwards, more permits are issued for new apartments than for singe family dwellings. During the years 2010-2011, both were at approximately the same level, but in recent years the difference has been increasing in favour of the apartments.
New construction vs renovation Single family dwellings vs apartments
