Building permits issued in Qatar saw a four percent jump in April from the previous month, latest official figures showed, indicating optimism in the domestic construction industry.
According to the Planning and Statistics Authority, various municipalities issued 743 building permits last month, with Al Rayyan topping the list with 206 permits or 28 percent of the total.
It is followed by Doha Municipality with 150 permits (20 percent), Al Wakrah with 140 permits (19 percent), Al Da’ayen with 111 permits (15 percent), Umm Slal with 63 permits (8 percent), Al Sheehaniya 32 permits (4 percent), Al Khor 26 permits (4 percent), and Al Shamal with 14 permits (2 percent).
In terms of type of permits issued, data indicate that the new building permits (residential and non-residential) constituted 54 percent (402 permits) of the total building permits issued during April 2019, while the percentage of additions permits constituted 44 percent (326 permits), and finally, fencing permits with 2 percent (15 permits).
New residential buildings permits data showed villas top the list, accounting for 76 percent (269 permits) of all new residential buildings permits, followed by dwellings of housing loans permits by 14 percent (50 permits) and apartment buildings by 7 percent (24 permits).
Commercial buildings were found to be in the forefront of non-residential buildings permits with 44 percent (22 permits), followed by government buildings with 22 percent (11 permits), then industrial buildings e.g. workshops and factories with 18 percent (nine permits).
In a review of data on building completion certificates issued during April 2019, according to their geographical distribution, Al Rayyan Municipality comes at the top of the list with the number of building completion certificates issued were 104 (31 percent) of the total issued certificates while Doha Municipality came in second place with 60 certificates, i.e. (18 percent), followed by Al Wakrah Municipality with 59 certificates (17 percent), then Al Da’ayen Municipality with 49 certificates, i.e. (14 percent). The rest of the municipalities were Umm Slal 25 certificates (7 percent), Al Khor 18 certificates (5 percent), Al Shamal 13 certificates (4 percent) and Al Sheehaniya with 12 certificates (4 percent).