Residential building output slumps 44 percent

The recession has obviously affected the construction sector in the first quarter of 2010. The number of dwellings completed in the first quarter of 2010 was more than 44 percent lower than in the same period in 2009. The number of building permits issued was in the first quarter was nearly 32 percent down on one year ago.

Building permits issued and new houses completed in the first quarter

Most substantial decline for housing associations

In the first quarter of 2010, more than 7 thousand dwellings were completed, nearly 6 thousand down on one year ago. Nearly 11 thousand building permits were issued, a decline by more than 5 thousand on the first quarter of last year.

The most substantial downturn was recorded for houses built by housing associations. The number of houses built by housing associations was reduced by more than 52 percent compared to one year previously. The number of building permits granted to housing associations was almost reduced by half. In the first quarter of 2010, the number of building permits granted to housing associations was more than 2.5 thousand versus 5.3 thousand in the first quarter of 2009.

Most substantial downturn in North Holland

The reduction in the amount of dwellings completed in the first quarter varies considerably across the provinces. In Groningen, the amount was reduced by 72 percent, followed by Gelderland (- 67 percent) and Friesland (- 62 percent).

With more than 1.4 thousand, the reduction in absolute figures relative to one year ago was most prominent in the province of North Holland. Gelderland followed with a reduction of more than 1.3 thousand units. Overijssel was the only province to report a marginal increase in the number of houses completed compared one year ago.

Houses completed in the first quarter by province

Fewer multi-family houses built

In the first quarter, 2.7 thousand new multi-family houses, e.g. blocks of flats were finished, a reduction by more than 52 percent compared to the first quarter of 2009. The number of single-family houses completed in the first quarter was more than 38 percent lower.

Jérôme van Biezen and Hermanus Rietveld