Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/949290
maltatoday SUNDAY 4 MARCH 2018 News 5 JAMES DEBONO THE number of newly-approved dwellings has shot up from 2,707 in 2013 to 9,006 in 2017 – an increase of 232% – statistics pub- lished by the Planning Authority show. The statistics also show that in 2016, the PA approved the highest number of ODZ (outside development zone) dwellings, 283, since 2005. In 2016, 3.8% of all new dwell- ings approved were located outside develop- ment zones. This was the highest percent- age of new dwellings built in the ODZ since 2009. Although the number of approved ODZ dwellings declined to 136 in 2017, the num- ber remains higher than that approved in any single year since 2010 except for 2016. 106,528 new dwellings have been approved since 2000, of which over 64% were ap- proved in the past 10 years. The number of new dwellings remains lower than that approved in the property boom between 2005 and 2007 when a re- cord 30,833 dwellings were approved in three years. In contrast between 2015 and 2017 a total of 20,461 new dwellings were approved. But 2016 saw one of the highest ever per- centage increase in the number of dwellings approved, an increase of 90% over 2015 fig- ures. At 9,006 the number of new permits for dwellings is the highest since 2008 but re- mains substantially lower than that ap- proved in 2007, when a record 11,343 dwell- ings were approved. Statistics show that permits for new dwell- ings shot up from 3,970 in 2000 to peak at 11,343 in 2007. Subsequently the number of permits declined to just 2,707 in 2013 to rise to 9,006 in 2017. In 2017, PA approved the highest num- ber of maisonettes (852) since 2006 and the second highest number of terraced houses (301) since 2006. This suggests a shift to- wards larger houses. 3,114 out of the 9,006 dwellings approved in 2015 were built on virgin land, compared to 1,275 in 2013. But as a percentage the number of dwellings on virgin land has de- creased from 70% in 2000 to 35% now. 4,058 dwellings were the result of the dem- olition of older buildings while 1,804 were the result of the conversion of existing prop- erties. The year 2017 registered the highest number of converted dwellings since 2000. Conversions remained relatively stable be- tween 2000 and 2004, 2005 experienced an increase, followed by a decline in 2006 and an increase in 2007 and 2008. This was fol- lowed by a decline between 2009-2013 and an increase since 2014. The surge in approval of new dwellings between 2005 and 2007 coincided with a re- laxation of building heights in urban areas. It also coincided with Malta gearing up for adoption of the euro, when more people started channeling their undeclared money into property development, fuelling a spi- ral in property development between 2005 and 2007. The surge in permits after 2015 also coincided with a relaxation in planning regulation through design guidelines which effectively superseded height limitations en- shrined in local plans and higher rates eco- nomic growth, which contrast with more re- strictive planning policies and an economic downturn between 2008 and 2013. Permits for new dwellings up by 230% over 2013 230% increase in permits since 2013 slump Highest number of ODZ permits, 283, since 2009 106,528 new dwellings approved since 2000, 64% in just 10 years 0 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 0 0.5 0.9 1.4 1.8 2.3 2.8 3.2 3.7 4.1 4.6 5.0 5.5 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 PN administrations PL administrations TOTAL ODZ dwellings % ODZ permits of total Number of permits approved