Embuild Vlaanderen calculated that the increase in the number of building applications in the major cities is entirely due to the high number of applications for the construction of flats. The share of flats in major cities was just over 81% in 2023. Although the number of permit applications for houses fell by 14%, this was more than offset by an increase in permit applications for flats of 8%.
Not every building application is approved. In the past five years, 58% of applications were approved. It is notable that a refusal is not the main reason why a permit application does not lead to a permit. In only 11% of cases is there a refusal. In 14% of cases, the applicant revokes the permit himself and in 11% the permit is incomplete. After obtaining a permit, the applicant has two years to start the works.
In major cities, only 52% of permit applications are approved. The approval rate is highest in rural municipalities (65%). The difference is mainly caused by the fact that 16% of applications in the large cities are incomplete or inadmissible, as opposed to 6% in rural municipalities.
