The year 2022 is marked by a decrease of 9.7% in building permits, a trend that is noticeable in the three regions. December is more favourable for Flanders, which records an increase in residential buildings (13.5%), while a decrease is observed in Wallonia (15.7%). Finally, 2022 confirms that renovation of residential buildings exceeds building permits for the construction of new residential buildings. This is what emerged from the new results of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, on building permits.
Annual evolution
The number of permits issued for new residential buildings in 2022 has decreased by 9.7 % to 28,674 buildings compared to 2021. This decrease can be observed in each of the 3 regions: it amounted to 9 % in the Flemish Region, to 11.8 % in the Walloon Region and to 12.8 % 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 | 22,760 | (-0.9%) | 15,960 | (-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 | 28,593 | (+4.1%) | 21,668 | (+4.9%) | 6,787 | (+2.0%) | 138 | (-3.5%) |
| 2021 | 31,768 | (+11.1%) | 23,522 | (+8.6%) | 8,081 | (+19.1%) | 164 | (+18.8%) |
| 2022 | 28,674 | (-9.7%) | 21,402 | (-9.0%) | 7,128 | (-11.8%) | 143 | (-12.8%) |
| (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 2022, building permits were issued for 2,022 residential buildings. Compared to November 2022, this is an increase of 4.8 %. In the Flemish Region, 13.5% more permits for new residential buildings were issued as in the previous month. The number of permits issued for new residential buildings has decreased by 15.7% in the Walloon Region. In the Brussels Capital Region, permits for 12 new residential buildings were issued in December 2022.
| Month | Belgium | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels-Capital Region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 2,550 | 1,897 | 641 | 12 | ||||
| 2021 | 2 | 2,428 | (-4.8%) | 1,822 | (-4.0%) | 592 | (-7.6%) | 14 | (+16.7%) |
| 2021 | 3 | 3,558 | (+46.5%) | 2,648 | (+45.3%) | 887 | (+49.8%) | 23 | (+64.3%) |
| 2021 | 4 | 2,675 | (-24.8%) | 1,937 | (-26.9%) | 729 | (-17.8%) | 9 | (-60.9%) |
| 2021 | 5 | 2,656 | (-0.7%) | 1,954 | (+0.9%) | 691 | (-5.2%) | 11 | (+22.2%) |
| 2021 | 6 | 2,948 | (+11.0%) | 2,206 | (+12.9%) | 722 | (+4.5%) | 20 | (+81.8%) |
| 2021 | 7 | 2,535 | (-14.0%) | 1,871 | (-15.2%) | 637 | (-11.8%) | 27 | (+35.0%) |
| 2021 | 8 | 2,495 | (-1.6%) | 1,867 | (-0.2%) | 616 | (-3.3%) | 12 | (-55.6%) |
| 2021 | 9 | 2,558 | (+2.5%) | 1,922 | (+2.9%) | 628 | (+1.9%) | 7 | (-41.7%) |
| 2021 | 10 | 2,558 | 0.0% | 1,989 | (+3.5%) | 557 | (-11.3%) | 12 | (+71.4%) |
| 2021 | 11 | 2,476 | (-3.2%) | 1,705 | (-14.3%) | 764 | (+37.2%) | 7 | (-41.7%) |
| 2021 | 12 | 2,331 | (-5.9%) | 1,704 | (-0.1%) | 617 | (-19.2%) | 10 | (+42.9%) |
| 2022 | 1 | 2,499 | (+7.2%) | 1,919 | (+12.6%) | 555 | (-10.0%) | 25 | (+150.0%) |
| 2022 | 2 | 2,452 | (-1.9%) | 1,862 | (-3.0%) | 575 | (+3.6%) | 15 | (-40.0%) |
| 2022 | 3 | 3,494 | (+42.5%) | 2,723 | (+46.2%) | 754 | (+31.1%) | 17 | (+13.3%) |
| 2022 | 4 | 2,243 | (-35.8%) | 1,593 | (-41.5%) | 641 | (-15.0%) | 9 | (-47.1%) |
| 2022 | 5 | 2,715 | (+21.0%) | 1,994 | (+25.2%) | 706 | (+10.1%) | 15 | (+66.7%) |
| 2022 | 6 | 2,390 | (-12.0%) | 1,832 | (-8.1%) | 551 | (-22.0%) | 7 | (-53.3%) |
| 2022 | 7 | 1,951 | (-18.4%) | 1,419 | (-22.5%) | 524 | (-4.9%) | 8 | (+14.3%) |
| 2022 | 8 | 2,463 | (+26.2%) | 1,788 | (+26.0%) | 670 | (+27.9%) | 5 | (-37.5%) |
| 2022 | 9 | 2,264 | (-8.1%) | 1,705 | (-4.6%) | 546 | (-18.5%) | 13 | (+160.0%) |
| 2022 | 10 | 2,251 | (-0.6%) | 1,674 | (-1.8%) | 574 | (+5.1%) | 3 | (-76.9%) |
| 2022 | 11 | 1,930 | (-14.3%) | 1,355 | (-19.1%) | 560 | (-2.4%) | 14 | (+366.7%) |
| 2022 | 12 | 2,022 | (+4.8%) | 1,538 | (+13.5%) | 472 | (-15.7%) | 12 | (-14.3%) |
| 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. The difference is the greatest in early 2022. In recent months, both series are almost at 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. The difference is the greatest in 2018. From 2019 onwards, the gap narrows again. In recent months, both series are almost at the same level.