Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures on building permits until December 2020.
Annual evolution
The number of permits issued for new residential buildings in 2020 has increased by 4.4% to 28,646 buildings compared to 2019. This increase can be observed in each of the 3 regions: it amounted to 4.8 % in the Flemish Region, to 2.8 % in the Walloon Region and to 8.6 % in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Annual figures - number of new authorised residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period
Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | 31,518 | 22,072 | 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%) | 6,067 | (-1.9%) | 199 | (-7.4%) |
2017 | 22,764 | (-0.9%) | 15,964 | (-4.4%) | 6,591 | (+8.6%) | 209 | (+5.0%) |
2018 | 28,842 | (+26.7%) | 22,086 | (+38.3%) | 6,597 | (+0.1%) | 159 | (-23.9%) |
2019 | 27,451 | (-4.8%) | 20,657 | (-6.5%) | 6,655 | (+0.9%) | 140 | (-11.9%) |
2020 | 28,646 | (+4.4%) | 21,655 | (+4.8%) | 6,839 | (+2.8%) | 152 | (+8.6%) |
Figures first 12 months - number of new authorised residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period |
Monthly evolution
For the most recent month available, December 2020, building permits were issued for 2,383 residential buildings. Compared to November 2020, this is an increase of 6.9%. The Flemish Region registered an increase of 10.2%. The number of building permits issued for new buildings has decreased in the Walloon Region by 5 % and this figure rose to 15 buildings in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Monthly figures - number of permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period
Month | Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 1 | 2,119 | 1,552 | 557 | 0.0% | 10 | |||
2019 | 2 | 2,007 | (-5.3%) | 1,550 | (-0.1%) | 448 | (-19.6%) | 9 | (-10.0%) |
2019 | 3 | 2,483 | (+23.7%) | 1,903 | (+22.8%) | 565 | (+26.1%) | 15 | (+66.7%) |
2019 | 4 | 2,413 | (-2.8%) | 1,874 | (-1.5%) | 524 | (-7.3%) | 15 | 0.0% |
2019 | 5 | 2,086 | (-13.6%) | 1,535 | (-18.1%) | 546 | (+4.2%) | 5 | (-66.7%) |
2019 | 6 | 2,257 | (+8.2%) | 1,687 | (+9.9%) | 554 | (+1.5%) | 16 | (+220.0%) |
2019 | 7 | 2,540 | (+12.5%) | 1,874 | (+11.1%) | 655 | (+18.2%) | 11 | (-31.3%) |
2019 | 8 | 2,196 | (-13.5%) | 1,615 | (-13.8%) | 567 | (-13.4%) | 14 | (+27.3%) |
2019 | 9 | 2,470 | (+12.5%) | 1,861 | (+15.2%) | 604 | (+6.5%) | 5 | (-64.3%) |
2019 | 10 | 2,391 | (-3.2%) | 1,817 | (-2.4%) | 558 | (-7.6%) | 16 | (+220.0%) |
2019 | 11 | 2,162 | (-9.6%) | 1,576 | (-13.3%) | 572 | (+2.5%) | 14 | (-12.5%) |
2019 | 12 | 2,327 | (+7.6%) | 1,813 | (+15.0%) | 505 | (-11.7%) | 10 | (-28.6%) |
2020 | 1 | 2,565 | (+10.2%) | 1,921 | (+6.0%) | 630 | (+24.8%) | 14 | (+40.0%) |
2020 | 2 | 2,431 | (-5.2%) | 1,944 | (+1.2%) | 472 | (-25.1%) | 14 | 0.0% |
2020 | 3 | 3,183 | (+30.9%) | 2,565 | (+31.9%) | 604 | (+28.0%) | 15 | (+7.1%) |
2020 | 4 | 2,174 | (-31.7%) | 1,506 | (-41.3%) | 646 | (+7.0%) | 22 | (+46.7%) |
2020 | 5 | 1,739 | (-20.0%) | 1,273 | (-15.5%) | 457 | (-29.3%) | 8 | (-63.6%) |
2020 | 6 | 2,293 | (+31.9%) | 1,828 | (+43.6%) | 460 | (+0.7%) | 5 | (-37.5%) |
2020 | 7 | 2,242 | (-2.2%) | 1,637 | (-10.4%) | 592 | (+28.7%) | 13 | (+160.0%) |
2020 | 8 | 2,451 | (+9.3%) | 1,739 | (+6.2%) | 708 | (+19.6%) | 5 | (-61.5%) |
2020 | 9 | 2,314 | (-5.6%) | 1,706 | (-1.9%) | 588 | (-16.9%) | 19 | (+280.0%) |
2020 | 10 | 2,640 | (+14.1%) | 2,028 | (+18.9%) | 596 | (+1.4%) | 16 | (-15.8%) |
2020 | 11 | 2,230 | (-15.5%) | 1,669 | (-17.7%) | 557 | (-6.5%) | 4 | (-75.0%) |
2020 | 12 | 2,383 | (+6.9%) | 1,839 | (+10.2%) | 529 | (-5.0%) | 15 | (+275.0%) |
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 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 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 recent months, the difference has narrowed again.
New construction vs renovation Single family dwellings vs apartments