The Cyprus statistical service (Cystat) on Friday reported a 13.8 per cent drop in the number of building permits issued in April, when compared with the same month last year. 

According to the report, a total of 577 building permits were authorised in April, down from 669 in April 2024. 

The total value of these permits reached €255.2 million, while the total authorised construction area amounted to 204,000 square metres. 

The statistical service reported that these building permits provide for the construction of 909 dwelling units.

Of these, 286 are single houses, 85 are buildings with two housing units, 534 are residential apartment blocks, and four are residential/commercial apartment blocks. 

Looking at the January to April period, a total of 2,157 building permits were issued, marking a 15.2 per cent decrease compared to the 2,545 permits issued in the same period of 2024. 

By category, residential building permits fell by 4.4 per cent to 1,612, non-residential building permits dropped by 41.3 per cent to 243, and civil engineering project permits decreased by 22.8 per cent to 125.

Permits for the division of plots were down 19.1 per cent to 157, while road construction permits recorded the steepest decline, falling by 77.5 per cent to 20. 

Despite the fall in the number of permits, the total value of these permits increased by 15.4 per cent over the four-month period.  

The value of residential building permits rose by 12.9 per cent to €857.8m, non-residential buildings by 25.1 per cent to €227.3m, and civil engineering projects by 83.9 per cent to €48.1m. 

In addition, the total authorised construction area rose by 13.3 per cent to 928,000 square metres, while the number of dwelling units to be built grew by 12.1 per cent to 4,321.  

Single houses increased by 7.3 per cent to 1,003, buildings with two housing units by 14.7 per cent to 367, and residential apartment blocks by 16.7 per cent to 2,789.  

In addition, residential/commercial apartment blocks fell by 22.9 per cent to 162. 

Since July 1, 2024, the authority for issuing building permits was transferred from municipalities and district administration offices to the newly founded local government organisations (EOA).

The licensing process is now carried out through the new integrated information system “Ippodamos”. 

On a month-on-month basis, April’s total of 577 building permits was slightly higher than the 572 permits recorded in March 2025.  

However, the total value of permits in April, at €255.2m, was lower than the €361.5m registered in March, while the total authorised construction area also fell from 296,900 square metres to 204,000 square metres.