Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/318021
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 MAY 2014 News 9 In Valletta, nearly one in every three dwellings is completely emp- ty. This could indicate that a large number of these properties are di- lapidated. But the census also substantiates the claim by environmentalists that over development is contributing to the increase in the vacant stock of properties. In fact, the sharpest percentage in- crease in vacant properties is regis- tered in relatively new localities like Attard and Swieqi. In fact, 53% of all vacant dwellings consist of flats and apartments, with half of them being in a good state of repair. Moreover, the high number of sec- ondary homes in localities Sliema, St Julian's, Msida and Gzira may in- dicate the extent of property hoard- ing, which is not taxed in Malta. It could also indicate the extent of the black economy in places like Gozo, where properties are rented on a short-term basis. Holiday homes The census shows that 52% of all holiday homes are located in the northern region, which includes St Paul's Bay and Mellieha. 26% are located in Gozo, mostly in Marsal- forn. St Paul's Bay accounts for 39% of all holiday homes in Malta and Gozo. The survey also shows that the most likely to own a holiday home are the Gozitans and inhabitants of affluent middle class localities like Attard and Balzan. While more than one in four households in Victoria own a holi- day dwelling, nearly one in five households in Attard do the same. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Census finds 17,398 'secondary homes' The quest for Malta's best town JAMES DEBONO presents a profile of five Maltese localities as caught in the 2011 census snapshot The survey results suggest a high level of multiple property ownership and property hoarding, giving a new twist to the vacant property debate Valletta – The vacant city Most popular surnames Borg, Zammit % of houses with access to internet 46 % of homes build after 2001 1.3 % of properties which are vacant 35 % of dwellings which are rented 71 % of population with a tertiary education 7.6 % of households with air conditioner 27 Low home ownership, low internet access and 'pretty vacant'. This is the profile of Malta's capi- tal city and future European Capital of Culture emerging from the census snapshot. In marked contrast with the rest of Malta – where 60% of occupied households are fully owned – only one-fifth of Valletta's occupied houses are owned. Instead, 71% of all occupied dwellings in Valletta are rented. Moreover 65% of the capital's city is fully occu- pied. 1,250 (32.3%) of dwellings in the capital city are completely vacant, while 113 (3%) have a sec- ondary use. Between 2005 and 2011, Valletta has seen a 13% increase in vacant properties. 64% of all occupied dwellings are flats or apart- ments, while townhouses account for 13%. Mai- sonettes and ground floor tenements account for 21%. 15% of all dwellings and 6% of occupied dwellings are dilapidated or in need of serious re- pair. The census shows that 157 occupied and 412 unoccupied dwellings in Valletta are either dilapi- dated or in need of serious repair. 32% of all occupied dwellings were constructed before 1918. Only 46% of occupied homes have an internet connection and only 0.1% have a solar panel. Only 27% of Valletta homes have an air- conditioner. Only 5% of Valletta residents have a holiday home. Sliema: So old, so modern Most popular surnames Camilleri, Borg % of houses with internet access 41 % of houses build after 2001 18 % of dwellings which are vacant 41 % of dwellings which are rented 29 % of population with a tertiary education 24.5 % of homes with an air conditioner 59 While 18% of Sliema was built before the first world war, an equal portion of dwellings were built after 2001 – a statistic which throws light on an ageing locality which continues to attract new residents. Of the 10,651 dwellings in Sliema, only 6,298 are fully occupied. But a large portion of these vacant dwellings is not available on the market. This is because owners are putting 2,338 dwellings to a secondary use. 1,760 (17%) dwellings are com- pletely empty. Despite being quite vacant, Sliema still registers the highest population density in Malta after Sen- glea. In an indication that overdevelopment has con- tributed to the increase in empty houses, Sliema has seen a staggering 52% increase in vacant prop- erties since 2005. 403 of Sliema's 4,353 dwellings are dilapidated or need serious repair. But 2,844 vacant dwellings are in a good state and 589 only need minor repairs. Flats and apartments account for 56% of all oc- cupied dwellings in Sliema while townhouses ac- count for 29% of dwellings in this locality. 14% of dwellings in Sliema consist of maison- ettes or ground tenements. Only 2% of occupied dwellings in Sliema are di- lapidated or in need of serious repairs despite the fact that nearly one in every five houses in Sliema was constructed before 1918. The census also reveals that one in every occu- pied house in Sliema was built between 2001 and 2011. A total of 1,141 occupied houses were built during the construction boom. Only 723 houses were built in the previous decade. 52% of occupied dwellings in Sliema are fully owned by their owners while only 29% are rented. 13% pay a ground rent. 59% of all homes have an air-conditioner and 41% are connected to the internet. A tenth of households in Sliema have a fireplace. 8% of Sliema residents own a holiday home. Attard – more panels, more air conditioners Most popular surnames Borg, Camilleri % of houses with internet access 83 % of houses build after 2001 14 % of dwellings which are vacant 19 % of dwellings which are rented 5 % of population with a tertiary education 27 % of homes with an air conditioner 70 The vast majority of homes (70%) in Attard have an air conditioner, compared to just 52% of households on a national level. 83% have access to the internet. Despite their high use of energy-consuming air conditioners, Attard residents tend to be more re- sponsible in their other energy choices. 97% use energy-saving bulbs compared to a na- tional average of 92%, and 4% have a PV panel, compared to just 2% nationally. 18% have a solar water heater compared to just 10% nationally. 22% of occupied dwellings in Attard also have a fireplace. Although Attard may be one of Malta's most serene localities, 17% of its residents also own a holiday home somewhere else. Apart from Gozi- tans, the residents of Attard are the most likely to have a summer residence somewhere else. 36% of occupied houses in Attard were built af- ter 1991. Of these, 472 (14%) were built between 2001 and 2011. The vast majority of houses in Attard (70%) are fully owned by residents. Only 5% are rented. Flats and apartments only account for 11% of occupied dwellings in Attard. 32% are terraced houses while 28% consist of detached or semi- detached houses. Maisonettes account for 8%. The number of vacant dwellings has shot up from just 412 in 2005 to 787 in 2011. Of the 4,069 dwellings in Attard, 611 (15%) are completely vacant while 176 (4%) are put to a sec- ondary use. Only 2% of dwellings in Attard are dilapidated or in need of repair. Only 11 occupied houses in Attard are in a bad state. Marsaskala – made in the 90s Most popular surnames Borg, Farrugia % of houses with internet access 80 % of houses build after 2001 25 % of dwellings which are vacant 41.6 % of dwellings which are rented 15 % of population with a tertiary education 17 % of homes with an air conditioner 59 55% of all occupied dwellings in this southern locality were constructed after 1991. One fifth were built between 2001 and 2011. Vacant dwellings in Marsaskala have increased by 34% between 2005 and 2011. The census re- veals 1,143 houses in the southern locality are va- cant all year round while 1,858 are either holiday homes or used as secondary residences. 56% of vacant homes in Marsaskala are in a good state while 10% only need minor repairs. 320 dwellings in Marsaskala are still in shell form. This is the second highest in Malta after Zabbar, where 355 dwellings were in shell form. 45% of all occupied dwellings in the coastal local- ity consist of flats and apartments while 33% con- sist of maisonettes. 61% of occupied dwellings are fully owned, while 15% are rented. 59% of all households in Marsaskala have an air- conditioner, while 15% have a fireplace. 80% have access to the internet. Only 2% have a PV panel. Only 4.5% of households in this seaside locality own a secondary residence elsewhere. St Paul's Bay – A ghost town? Most popular surnames Borg, Vella % of houses with internet access 70 % of houses build after 2001 22 % of dwellings which are vacant 58 % of dwellings which are rented 30 % of population with a tertiary education 14 % of homes with an air conditioner 48 5,877 dwellings in St Paul's Bay are vacant for most of the year. This statistic makes St Paul's Bay Malta's most vacant town. Only 42% of houses in St Paul's Bay are fully oc- cupied. While 12% are vacant all year round, 19% of dwellings are put to a secondary use and 27% are holiday homes. In an indication of cheaper rents in this location, 30% of all occupied dwellings are rented compared to 20% of occupied dwellings nationally. Only 49% of dwellings are fully owned. Moreover, 44% of all occupied dwellings in this town were constructed after 1991. 22% were de- veloped after 2001. 73% of all dwellings consist of flats or apartments. Only six occupied dwellings in this locality are dilapidated. But 73 vacant dwell- ings are dilapidated. 65% of vacant properties in this locality are in a good state of repair. 256 vacant dwellings are still in shell form. Less than half of households have an air condi- tioner and only 8% have a fireplace. 71% of homes are connected to the internet. Only 1% of occu- pied dwellings have a PV panel.