Construction permits
see sharp turnaround

Beirut tumbles, high growth elsewhere

The number of construction permits increased 13 percent during the first half of this year, in comparison with the same period of 2015, according to the Orders of Engineers in Beirut and the North. The 8,361 permits represent 6.4 million square meters, up eight percent. The average area per permit has dropped by five percent to 767 square meters.

The area of permits in Beirut fell 23 percent to 235,429 square meters and the number of permits reached 347, down 22 percent. The average area per permit remains stable at 679 square meters.

In Mount Lebanon, the area of permits remained stable at 2.8 million. But the number of permits increased by three percent to 3,227. The average area per permit is 880 square meters.

Bekaa saw a 23 percent increase in the area of permits, totaling 614,137. The number of permits grew nine percent to 794. This raised the average area per permit to 773 square meters.

The area of permits in the South increased to 926,895, up 33 percent. The number of permits recorded a 31 percent increase, surging to 1,606. The average area per permit is stable at 577 square meters.

Nabatieh also witnessed growth in area (648,714 square meters) and number of permits (1,199), going up 25 and 23 percent respectively. The average area per permit remains stable at 541 square meters.

The total area of permits given in the North are stable, totaling 1.14 million square meters, but the number of permits shot up 33 percent to 1,188. The average area per permit is down 23 percent to 962 square meters.