Netherlands: More new houses built, fewer building permits granted

The decline was most prominent in the province of North Holland. The largest increase was recorded in the provinces of South Holland and Utrecht.
The number of building permits issued gives an indication of the number of houses to be built in the near future. On average, it took 22 months for a new house to be finished after the building permit was issued.

By the end of September 2008, the stock of unfinished dwellings was nearly 189 thousand, more than 1 percent up on one year previously. With 42 thousand, the largest stock was recorded in South Holland, the smallest in the province of Zeeland (3.7 thousand). .