Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures on building permits until December 2018. The figures for the Walloon Region and Brussels have been updated compared to those published on 29 March
Annual evolution
The number of permits issued for new residential buildings in 2018 has increased by 25.8% to 28,649 buildings compared to 2017. This increase fully originates in the Flemish Region, where it amounted to 37.8%. In the Walloon Region, the number of permits issued for new residential buildings was 1.5% lower, and the Brussels-Capital Region registered a decrease of 23.4%.
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 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | 31,518 | 22,72 | 9,107 | 339 | ||||
2010 | 27,292 | (-13,4%) | 18,888 | (-14,4%) | 8,148 | (-10,5%) | 256 | (-24,5%) |
2015 | 21,916 | (-19,7%) | 15,514 | (-17,9%) | 6,187 | (-24,1%) | 215 | (-16,0%) |
2016 | 22,962 | (+4,8%) | 16,696 | (+7,6%) | 6,67 | (-1,9%) | 199 | (-7,4%) |
2017 | 22,767 | (-0,8%) | 15,964 | (-4,4%) | 6,594 | (+8,7%) | 209 | (+5,0%) |
2018 | 28,649 | (+25,8%) | 21,993 | (+37,8%) | 6,496 | (-1,5%) | 160 | (-23,4%) |
(Annual figures - number of permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period) |
Monthly evolution
For the most recent month available, December 2018, building permits were issued for 2,120 residential buildings. Compared to November 2018, this is a decrease of 0.2%. The Flemish Region registered an increase of 12.4 %. The number of building permits issued for new buildings has decreased in the Walloon Region by 30.3% and in the Brussels-Capital Region by 7.1% compared to the previous month.
Table 2: Monthly figures - 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 | 2381,0 | 1714,0 | 650 | 17 | ||||
2018 | 2 | 2482,0 | (+4,2%) | 2028,0 | (+18,3%) | 434 | (-33,2%) | 20 | (+17,6%) |
2018 | 3 | 3236,0 | (+30,4%) | 2635,0 | (+29,9%) | 585 | (+34,8%) | 16 | (-20,0%) |
2018 | 4 | 3187,0 | (-1,5%) | 2632,0 | (-0,1%) | 543 | (-7,2%) | 12 | (-25,0%) |
2018 | 5 | 2822,0 | (-11,5%) | 2238,0 | (-15,0%) | 574 | (+5,7%) | 10 | (-16,7%) |
2018 | 6 | 2186,0 | (-22,5%) | 1546,0 | (-30,9%) | 630 | (+9,8%) | 10 | (0,0%) |
2018 | 7 | 1978,0 | (-9,5%) | 1425,0 | (-7,8%) | 539 | (-14,4%) | 14 | (+40,0%) |
2018 | 8 | 1939,0 | (-2,0%) | 1344,0 | (-5,7%) | 587 | (+8,9%) | 8 | (-42,9%) |
2018 | 9 | 2046,0 | (+5,5%) | 1621,0 | (+20,6%) | 412 | (-29,8%) | 13 | (+62,5%) |
2018 | 10 | 2147,0 | (+4,9%) | 1651,0 | (+1,9%) | 484 | (+17,5%) | 12 | (-7,7%) |
2018 | 11 | 2124,0 | (-1,1%) | 1487,0 | (-9,9%) | 624 | (+28,9%) | 14 | (+16,7%) |
2018 | 12 | 2120,0 | (-0,2%) | 1672,0 | (+12,4%) | 435 | (-30,3%) | 13 | (-7,1%) |
(Monthly figures - number of permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period) |
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