Building Permits: December 2024
14/04/25 15:54 | Press release | Economy and Finance
Reduction of 34,4% in the number of building permits issued
The Statistical Service announces that the number of building permits authorised during December 2024 stood at 385 compared to 587 in December 2023, registering a decrease of 34,4%. The total value of these permits reached €181,4 million and the total area 144,9 thousand square metres. These building permits provide for the construction of 745 dwelling units.
During the period January-December 2024, 6.827 building permits were issued, compared to 7.170 in the corresponding period of the previous year, recording a decrease of 4,8%. The total area of these permits increased by 1,2%, while the total value remained stable. The number of dwelling units recorded an increase of 2,6%.
It is noted that as from the 1st July 2024, the authority of issuing building permits was transferred from the municipalities and the district administration offices to the newly founded Local Government Organisations (LGOs) and the licensing process is performed through the new integrated information system “Ippodamos”.
| Table 1 | ||||
| Type of Project | Number of Permits | Percentage Change (%) | ||
| Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2023 | Jan.-Dec. 2024/2023 | |
| Residential Buildings | 290 | 4.706 | 4.923 | -4,4 |
| Non-residential Buildings | 51 | 1.066 | 1.048 | 1,7 |
| Civil Engineering Projects | 20 | 390 | 403 | -3,2 |
| Division of Plots | 23 | 496 | 572 | -13,3 |
| Road Construction | 1 | 169 | 224 | -24,6 |
| Total | 385 | 6.827 | 7.170 | -4,8 |
| Table 2 | ||||
| Type of Project | Area (m²) | Percentage Change (%) | ||
| Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2023 | Jan.-Dec. 2024/2023 | |
| Residential Buildings | 130.709 | 1.903.146 | 1.954.518 | -2,6 |
| Non-residential Buildings | 13.962 | 410.448 | 331.378 | 23,9 |
| Civil Engineering Projects | 205 | 8.201 | 8.970 | -8,6 |
| Total | 144.876 | 2.321.795 | 2.294.866 | 1,2 |
| Table 3 | ||||
| Type of Project | Value (€000’s) | Percentage Change (%) | ||
| Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2023 | Jan.-Dec. 2024/2023 | |
| Residential Buildings | 141.327 | 2.236.938 | 2.347.094 | -4,7 |
| Non-residential Buildings | 16.517 | 450.152 | 386.449 | 16,5 |
| Civil Engineering Projects | 22.536 | 168.004 | 106.370 | 57,9 |
| Division of Plots | 919 | 39.595 | 48.962 | -19,1 |
| Road Construction | 92 | 12.632 | 17.344 | -27,2 |
| Total | 181.391 | 2.907.321 | 2.906.219 | 0,0 |
| Table 4 | ||||
| Residential Buildings | Number of Dwelling Units | Percentage Change (%) | ||
| Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2024 | Jan.-Dec. 2023 | Jan.-Dec. 2024/2023 | |
| Single houses | 227 | 2.820 | 2.904 | -2,9 |
| Buildings with two housing units | 47 | 800 | 867 | -7,7 |
| Residential apartment blocks | 463 | 7.117 | 6.903 | 3,1 |
| Residential/commercial apartment blocks | 8 | 592 | 367 | 61,3 |
| Total | 745 | 11.329 | 11.041 | 2,6 |
Methodological Information
Scope and Coverage
The purpose is the collection of basic data concerning residential and non-residential buildings, as well as other construction activities, such as civil engineering projects, division of plots and road construction, by district (both urban and rural areas). For each type of project, information is compiled on the number of permits authorised, the area and the value of the project, and the number of dwelling units that are expected to be built. For the categorisation of the various construction projects, the European Union (EU) Classification of Types of Construction (CC) is being used. Data cover all building permits authorised, including those for demolitions and permits being re-issued. However, permits renewals and permits for the division of buildings are not included.
Data Collection
As part of the administrative reform, the authority of issuing building permits was transferred as from the 1st July 2024 from the local administration authorities to the newly founded Local Government Organisations (LGOs). At the same time, the integrated information system “Ippodamos” was put into operation and all applications are now processed by the LGOs electronically, including a large volume of older applications that were apparently submitted in printed form before the 1st July 2024. In the first months of the reform, the operation of “Ippodamos” was accompanied by a series of technical and procedural weaknesses and delays that had a serious impact on the production of statistics in a timely, accurate, and reliable manner.
The Statistical Service is in touch with the Ministry of Interior and the LGOs, as well as with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy in order to find ways to improve the recording by the LGOs of the necessary data in the “Ippodamos” system, so as to continue the uninterrupted production of statistics.
For more information visit CYSTAT Portal, subtheme Construction, CYSTAT-DB (Online Database) or contact Mr Achilleas Moustakas at 22602156 or via email amoustakas@cystat.mof.gov.cy.
The Predefined Tables, available in Excel format, include data up to December 2022. Data from January 2023 onwards are available only in the CYSTAT-DB Online Database.
(MS/GS)