Approved building permits posts 3.8 percent growth

Approved building permits nationwide reached 24,438 applications during the third quarter of 2005. This represents a modest increase of 3.8 percent from 23,540 approved building permits recorded during the same period of 2004.
An increase in applications over the same period of the previous year was observed for residential and non-residential building construction. Approved building permits for residential building construction increased by 6.5 percent to 17,129 from 16,086 recorded during the same period of 2004. Those for non-residential building construction slightly went up by 1.7 percent to 2,766 from 2,721 approved building permits. On the other hand, combined approved building permits for additions, alterations and repairs showed a decline of 4.0 percent from 4,733 to 4,543 approved building permits. Figure 1 compares the number of approved building permits by type of building for the third quarters of 2005 and 2004.

Approved building permits reaches 25,252

Approved building permits during the first quarter of 2005 registered a total of 25,252 applications, representing a decrease of 0.8 percent compared with 25,447 approved building permits during the same period of 2004.
An increase in application over the same period of last year was observed for residential building construction. Approved building permits for residential building construction went up by 3.4 percent to 18,419 from 17,820. On the other hand, those for non-residential building construction decreased by 4.6 percent from 2,633 to 2,513. Combined approved building permits for additions, alterations and repairs similarly shrunk by 13.5 percent from 4,994 to 4,320 applications. Figure 1 compares the number of building permit application by type of building for the first quarters of 2005 and 2004.

Approved building permits nationwide summed up to 23,540 applications during the third quarter of 2004. This represents a modest increase of 4.5 percent from 22,536 approved building permits recorded during the same period of 2003.

An increase in applications over the same pe