The latest GUNB report – construction activities in the first half of 2019

The latest report of the Central Office of Construction Supervision (GUNB) on construction activities in the first half of 2019 provides some interesting information about the current situation on the construction sector.

Increase in the number of building permits

According to the report, in the first half of 2019, the total number of building permits issued (95 538 permits for 112 512 buildings) increased in comparison to the same period in previous years (in 2018, 92 801 permits were issued for 106 912 buildings, 2017. 90,000 permits were issued for 103,832 buildings).

As for individual categories of construction objects, attention should be paid to the increase in the number of permits issued for the construction of single-family residential buildings (an increase of 5.3% compared to the first half of 2018), with a simultaneous decrease in the number of permits for multi-family residential buildings (a decrease of
5, 8% compared to the first half of 2018).

In addition, it is worth noting that in territorial terms the most building permits were issued in the following voivodships: Mazowieckie – 12,786, Greater Poland – 12,472 and Lesser Poland – 10,903.

Construction submissions

The GUNB report shows that in the first half of 2019 10,572 construction notifications were made for 11,042 objects. What is important, in the category of single-family buildings, only reports regarding the construction of 948 single-family buildings were recorded. We remind you that in accordance with the provisions of Art. 29 section 1 point 1a of the Construction Law in force since 2015, the construction permit is not required for the construction of detached single-family residential buildings, whose impact area is entirely on the plot or plots on which they were designed.

The report data shows that, despite the introduction of significant simplifications in the construction procedure for the construction of single-family houses, the vast majority of buildings in this category are still subject to a more formalized construction permit procedure.

Construction of roads and flood control structures

Another year in a row, a decrease in the number of issued decisions authorizing the implementation of road facilities was recorded.

In the first half of 2019, 697 permits were issued for the construction of 1,370 road facilities (a decrease of 14.1% compared to H1 2018 and 3.7% to H1 2017).

The number of permits issued for the construction of flood protection structures also decreased. In the first half of 2019, 5 permits for 37 facilities were issued. Compared to both previous years, the decrease in construction permits issued is 37.5% in comparison to the first half of 2018 and 72% to the first half of 2017.

Summary

The GUNB report gives grounds to conclude that in the next few years growth in investment in the real estate market will be sustained, in particular in the case of single-family housing. This is probably due to the still strong demand for houses and flats. On the other hand, we can observe a decline in public sector investments in road infrastructure.

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