Building permits for new housing continued to decline in January

Between February 2022 and January 2023, 476.500 housing units were authorized for construction. This is slightly more than a year earlier (+0,8%), but less than between January and December 2022 (-1,2%).

The number of building permits jumped in 2022, due to an influx of applications at the end of 2021, before the entry into force of stricter environmental regulations (RE2020) on new construction.

It reached an absolute record in August 2022, the deadline granted to local authorities to benefit from aid for the construction of collective housing in tight areas.

Since August, a record month, the number of building permits has continued to decline, with developers and builders worrying about a very unfavorable economic climate for new real estate.

Between February 2022 and January 2023, residence permits (students, seniors, etc.) increased by 25,3% compared to the previous 12 months.

Those for collective housing excluding residences increased by 9,3% and those for housing estates by 7,6%, while building permits for individual houses excluding housing estates fell sharply (-19,5%).

A sign that building permits have benefited more from a calendar effect than from a real tremor of activity, housing starts, the number of which historically followed that of authorizations, have stalled.

Between February 2022 and January 2023, 369.200 construction sites were started, 6,1% less than a year earlier.