Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures on building permits until December 2021.
Annual evolution
The number of permits issued for new residential buildings in 2021 has increased by 11.2% to 31,804 buildings compared to 2020. This increase can be observed in each of the 3 regions: it amounted to 8.6% in the Flemish Region, to 19.4% in the Walloon Region and to 21% in the Brussels-Capital Region.
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 | 22,963 | (+4.8%) | 16,697 | (+7.6%) | 6,067 | (-1.9%) | 199 | (-7.4%) |
2017 | 22,759 | (-0.9%) | 15,959 | (-4.4%) | 6,591 | (+8.6%) | 209 | (+5.0%) |
2018 | 28,842 | (+26.7%) | 22,086 | (+38.4%) | 6,597 | (+0.1%) | 159 | (-23.9%) |
2019 | 27,458 | (-4.8%) | 20,662 | (-6.4%) | 6,653 | (+0.8%) | 143 | (-10.1%) |
2020 | 28,590 | (+4.1%) | 21,656 | (+4.8%) | 6,796 | (+2.1%) | 138 | (-3.5%) |
2021 | 31,804 | (+11.2%) | 23,522 | (+8.6%) | 8,115 | (+19.4%) | 167 | (+21.0%) |
(Figures for the first 12 months - number of building permits for new residential buildings + evolution compared to the previous period) |
Monthly evolution
For the most recent month available, December 2021, building permits were issued for 2,325 residential buildings. Compared to November 2021, this is a decrease of 6.5%. In the Flemish Region, almost as many new residential buildings were issued as in the previous month (-0.1%). The number of permits issued for new residential buildings has decreased by 21.4% in the Walloon Region. In the Brussels Capital Region, 11 new residential buildings were issued in December 2021.
Month | Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | 1 | 2,572 | 1,921 | 639 | 0.0% | 12 | |||
2020 | 2 | 2,435 | (-5.3%) | 1,944 | (+1.2%) | 478 | (-25.2%) | 13 | (+8.3%) |
2020 | 3 | 3,180 | (+30.6%) | 2,565 | (+31.9%) | 602 | (+25.9%) | 13 | 0.0% |
2020 | 4 | 2,166 | (-31.9%) | 1,506 | (-41.3%) | 640 | (+6.3%) | 20 | (+53.8%) |
2020 | 5 | 1,732 | (-20.0%) | 1,273 | (-15.5%) | 452 | (-29.4%) | 7 | (-65.0%) |
2020 | 6 | 2,289 | (+32.2%) | 1,828 | (+43.6%) | 456 | (+0.9%) | 5 | (-28.6%) |
2020 | 7 | 2,221 | (-3.0%) | 1,637 | (-10.4%) | 572 | (+25.4%) | 12 | (+140.0%) |
2020 | 8 | 2,443 | (+10.0%) | 1,739 | (+6.2%) | 700 | (+22.4%) | 4 | (-66.7%) |
2020 | 9 | 2,316 | (-5.2%) | 1,706 | (-1.9%) | 592 | (-15.4%) | 18 | (+350.0%) |
2020 | 10 | 2,617 | (+13.0%) | 2,029 | (+18.9%) | 572 | (-3.4%) | 16 | (-11.1%) |
2020 | 11 | 2,234 | (-14.6%) | 1,669 | (-17.7%) | 561 | (-1.9%) | 4 | (-75.0%) |
2020 | 12 | 2,385 | (+6.8%) | 1,839 | (+10.2%) | 532 | (-5.2%) | 14 | (+250.0%) |
2021 | 1 | 2,552 | (+7.0%) | 1,897 | (+3.2%) | 643 | (+20.9%) | 12 | (-14.3%) |
2021 | 2 | 2,430 | (-4.8%) | 1,822 | (-4.0%) | 594 | (-7.6%) | 14 | (+16.7%) |
2021 | 3 | 3,559 | (+46.5%) | 2,648 | (+45.3%) | 888 | (+49.5%) | 23 | (+64.3%) |
2021 | 4 | 2,674 | (-24.9%) | 1,937 | (-26.9%) | 728 | (-18.0%) | 9 | (-60.9%) |
2021 | 5 | 2,660 | (-0.5%) | 1,954 | (+0.9%) | 694 | (-4.7%) | 12 | (+33.3%) |
2021 | 6 | 2,950 | (+10.9%) | 2,206 | (+12.9%) | 725 | (+4.5%) | 19 | (+58.3%) |
2021 | 7 | 2,541 | (-13.9%) | 1,871 | (-15.2%) | 642 | (-11.4%) | 28 | (+47.4%) |
2021 | 8 | 2,502 | (-1.5%) | 1,867 | (-0.2%) | 622 | (-3.1%) | 13 | (-53.6%) |
2021 | 9 | 2,560 | (+2.3%) | 1,922 | (+2.9%) | 631 | (+1.4%) | 7 | (-46.2%) |
2021 | 10 | 2,563 | (+0.1%) | 1,989 | (+3.5%) | 561 | (-11.1%) | 13 | (+85.7%) |
2021 | 11 | 2,487 | (-3.0%) | 1,705 | (-14.3%) | 776 | (+38.3%) | 6 | (-53.8%) |
2021 | 12 | 2,325 | (-6.5%) | 1,704 | (-0.1%) | 610 | (-21.4%) | 11 | (+83.3%) |
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.
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. The difference is the greatest in 2018. From 2019 onwards, the gap narrows again.