News Releases

Residential Building Permits: Q2/2023
NR148/2023
Release Date: 21 August 2023
Cut Off Date: 31 June 2023
During the second quarter of 2023 a total of 2,453 new dwellings were approved, registering an increase of 9.5 per cent when compared to the same quarter last year.

Errata Corrige: A mistake was detected in Table 2, in the data illustrated for Approved new dwellings, by period and district (LAU 1). The total approved new dwellings for Malta should read 2,453 and not 606 as erroneously reported in the table. Salient points and commentary remained unchanged. Online documents were amended on 21 August 2023 at 13:45 hrs. 

homeApproved residential building permits and dwellings

Building permits are authorisations to initiate new building projects. The objective of these statistics is to indicate the future development of construction activity in terms of the number of approved new dwellings.

During the second quarter of 2023, 494 building permits for a total of 2,453 new dwellings were approved (Chart 1). When compared to the corresponding quarter of 2022, the number of building permits increased by 12.8 per cent while the number of approved new dwellings increased by 9.5 per cent. The average number of approved new dwellings per building permit stood at 5.0 (Chart 1).

Map 1. Number of approved new dwellings, by locality (LAU 2): Q2/2023
Q2_2023

Note: Għajnsielem and Comino are classified as one locality. However, no building permits were approved in Comino.

Chart 1. Building permits and approved new dwellings by period

Approved new dwellings by type1

The majority of new dwellings approved during the second quarter of 2023 were apartments (1,740), followed by penthouses (386), maisonettes (222), terraced houses (81) and other residential units1 (24) (Table 1). Apartments accounted for 70.9 per cent of the total number of approved new dwellings (Chart 2).

1 “Other” dwellings type includes bungalows, farmhouses and villas.

Chart 2. Distribution of approved new dwellings by type

Quarter 2 - 2023

No Data Found

Approved new dwellings by district

When compared to the corresponding quarter of 2022, the number of new dwellings approved in Malta increased by 18.7 per cent while those in Gozo and Comino decreased by 24.6 per cent. The highest number of approved new dwellings was registered in the Northern Harbour district (642) while the lowest number was recorded in the Western district (152) (Table 2).

Approved new dwellings by locality2

The highest number of approved new dwellings were issued in San Pawl Il-Baħar (224). This was followed by Il-Mosta (163), Ħal-Qormi (107), Il-Mellieħa (103) and l-Imsida (101) (Chart 3).

2 Only the top 35 localities are shown in Chart 3. The full list of approved new dwellings by locality may be viewed in the corresponding table.
Note: Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Chart 3. Approved new dwellings by locality

Quarter 2 - 2023

No Data Found

Errata Corrige: A mistake was detected in Table 2, in the data illustrated for Approved new dwellings, by period and district (LAU 1). The total approved new dwellings for Malta should read 2,453 and not 606 as erroneously reported in the table. Salient points and commentary remained unchanged. Online documents were amended on 21 August 2023 at 13:45 hrs. 

Additional Tables and Charts

Methodological Notes

1. The data source of this news release is the Maltese Planning Authority. It includes approved building permits for the:
●  construction of approved new dwellings
●  change of use from non-residential buildings to residential ones
 
2. Building permits for dwelling extensions, restorations, alterations, or demolitions that have no effect on the number of new dwellings are not included in this news release.
 
3. Definitions:
● Building permit: An authorisation to start work on a building project. It can include more than one approved new dwelling.
● Dwelling: A room or suite of rooms and its accessories in a permanent building or structurally separated part thereof which by the way it has been built, rebuilt and converted, is intended for private habitation.
 
4.  More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
European statistics comparable to data in this news release.
 
 
For further assistance please submit your query through the online request form.
 
Residential Building Permits: Q2/2023
NR148/2023
Release Date: 21 August 2023
Cut Off Date: 31 June 2023

Errata Corrige: A mistake was detected in Table 2, in the data illustrated for Approved new dwellings, by period and district (LAU 1). The total approved new dwellings for Malta should read 2,453 and not 606 as erroneously reported in the table. Salient points and commentary remained unchanged. Online documents were amended on 21 August 2023 at 13:45 hrs. 

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  • During the second quarter of 2023, 494 building permits for a total of 2,453 new dwellings were approved.
  • When compared to the same quarter of the previous year, the number of approved new dwellings increased by 9.5 per cent.
  • Apartments made up 70.9 per cent of the total number of approved new dwellings.
  • The highest number of approved new dwellings (224) was registered in San Pawl Il-Baħar.
Graphical Illustration of MALTA by NUTS Classification

Districts classification

Southern Harbour
Valletta, Il-Birgu, L-Isla, Bormla, Ħaż-Żabbar, Il-Fgura, Floriana, Il-Kalkara, Ħal Luqa, Il-Marsa, Raħal Ġdid, Santa Luċija, Ħal Tarxien, Ix-Xgħajra.

Northern Harbour
Ħal Qormi, Birkirkara, Il-Gżira, Il-Ħamrun, L-Imsida, Pembroke, Tal-Pieta’, San Ġiljan, San Ġwann, Santa Venera, Tas-Sliema, Is-Swieqi, Ta’ Xbiex.

South Eastern
Iż-Żejtun, Birżebbuġa, Il-Gudja, Ħal Għaxaq, Ħal Kirkop, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, L-Imqabba, Il-Qrendi, Ħal Safi, Iż-Żurrieq.

Western
L-Imdina, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Is-Siġġiewi, Ħ‘Attard, Ħal Balzan, Ħad-Dingli, L-Iklin, Ħal Lija, Ir-Rabat, L-Imtarfa.

Northern
Ħal Għargħur, Il-Mellieħa, L-Imġarr, Il-Mosta, In-Naxxar, San Pawl il-Baħar.

Gozo and Comino
Ir-Rabat, Il-Fontana, Għajnsielem and Comino, L-Għarb, L-Għasri, Ta’ Kerċem, Il-Munxar, In-Nadur, Il-Qala, San Lawrenz, Ta’ Sannat, Ix-Xagħra, Ix-Xewkija, Iż-Żebbuġ.

Graphical Illustration of MALTA by LAU 2 Classification

District-map
Key
1 Valletta 18 Floriana 35 Marsaskala 52 San Ġiljan
2 L-Imdina 19 Il-Fontana 36 Marsaxlokk 53 San Ġwann
3 Il-Birgu 20 Il-Gudja 37 Il-Mellieħa 54 San Lawrenz
4 L-Isla 21 Il-Gżira 38 L-Imġarr 55 San Pawl Il-Baħar
5 Bormla 22 Għajnsielem and Comino 39 Il-Mosta 56 Ta' Sannat
6 Ħal Qormi 23 L-Għarb 40 L-Imqabba 57 Santa Luċija
7 Ħaż-Żebbuġ 24 Ħal Għargħur 41 L-Imsida 58 Santa Venera
8 Ħaż-Żabbar 25 L-Għasri 42 Il-Munxar 59 Tas-Sliema
9 Is-Siġġiewi 26 Ħal Għaxaq 43 In-Nadur 60 Is-Swieqi
10 Iż-Żejtun 27 Il-Ħamrun 44 In-Naxxar 61 Ta' Xbiex
11 Ir-Rabat, Għawdex 28 L-Iklin 45 Raħal Ġdid 62 Ħal Tarxien
12 Ħ'Attard 29 Il-Kalkara 46 Pembroke 63 Ix-Xagħra
13 Ħal Balzan 30 Ta' Kerċem 47 Tal-Pieta' 64 Ix-Xewkija
14 Birkirkara 31 Ħal Kirkop 48 Il-Qala 65 Ix-Xgħajra
15 Birżebbuġa 32 Ħal Lija 49 Il-Qrendi 66 Iż-Żebbuġ, Għawdex
16 Ħad-Dingli 33 Ħal Luqa 50 Ir-Rabat, Malta 67 Iż-Żurrieq
17 Il-Fgura 34 Il-Marsa 51 Ħal Safi 68 L-Imtarfa
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