Building permits dropped 83.9% in July 2024 due to technical problems

A reduction of 83.9% was recorded in the number of building permits in July 2024, since just 97 building permits were authorised during this month, compared to 604 in July 2023.

This was according to data published by CySTAT on 15 January 2025, with the Service noting deficiencies in the recording process in the new system used for issuing permits in the context of the local administration reform.

The noteworthy decrease in the number of building permits issued in July 2024 is to a large extent the result of the transfer as from the 1 July 2024 of the authority of issuing building permits from the municipalities and the district administration offices to the newly founded Local Government Organisations (LGOs) and the problems encountered in the operation of the new integrated information system “Ippodamos”.

The total value of these permits reached €42.9 million and the total area 28.3 thousand square metres. These building permits provide for the construction of 156 dwelling units.

During the period January – July 2024, 4,879 building permits were issued compared to 4,212 in the corresponding period of the previous year, recording an increase of 15.8%. The total value of these permits increased by 24.4% and the total area by 26.4%. The number of dwelling units recorded an increase of 24.7%.

The delay observed in the publication of the building permits statistics for July 2024 is a result of the existence of significant deficiencies and weaknesses in the recording by the LGOs of the necessary data in the "Ippodamos" system, the Statistical Service notes. These shortcomings and weaknesses persist to this day, greatly hampering and delaying the production of statistics on the building permits authorised.

The Statistical Service has repeatedly raised the issue with the Ministry of the Interior and the LGOs, as well as with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy and every effort is being made to resolve the problems as soon as possible and to continue the uninterrupted production of statistics.

(Source: CNA)