Number of new homes down across Malta, up in Gozo

The number of new dwellings is down across almost all of Malta, with only the Northern Harbour area registering an increase in new homes, especially in Qormi and Birkirkara.

Gozo similarly bucks the trend, reflecting its position as the hottest real estate market in the country.

The data on July, August and September emerges from a National Statistics Office release which reports that 446 building permits for a total of 2,092 new dwellings were approved during the months under review.

When compared to the corresponding quarter of 2021, the number of building permits increased by 2.1 per cent while the number of approved new dwellings decreased by 3.3 per cent. The average number of approved new dwellings per building permit stood at 4.7.

The figures are drawn from the Planning Authority, and include approved building permits for the construction of approved new dwellings and change of use from non-residential buildings to residential ones.

Building permits for dwelling extensions, restorations, alterations, or demolitions that have no effect on the number of new dwellings are not included.

In Malta, the number of new dwellings decreased by 7.3 per cent, while those approved in Gozo increase by 15 per cent.

The highest number of approved new dwellings was registered in the Northern Harbour district (738, or 93.2 per cent) while the lowest number was recorded in the Western district (140).

The Northern Harbour district includes localities more popularly understood to be central, like Birkirkara and Qormi, a well as Santa Venera, Ħamrun and Pietà. It also includes Sliema, St Julian’s, Pembroke, Swieqi, San Ġwann, Gżira, Ta’ Xbiex and Msida.

In fact, Qormi (198 dwellings) and Birkirkara (86) make up two of the top five localities with the most approved new dwellings.

Mosta, with 96 new homes now in the pipeline, saw the second highest number of approved new dwellings. Sannat in Gozo (88) followed, while St Paul’s Bay (80) rounded out top five.

The majority of new dwellings approved during the third quarter of 2022 were apartments (1,488, or 71.1 per cent), followed by penthouses (348), maisonettes (177), terraced houses (58) and other residential units1 (21).