Municipalities issuing more construction permits, still fewer homes built in Q3
Dutch municipalities issued permits for 22,600 new homes in the third quarter of 2025, a rise of 3,100 compared with the same period last year, CBS reported Thursday. Despite the increase in permits, only 14,800 new homes were completed, 2,300 fewer than in the third quarter of 2024. Including renovations, expansions, and conversions, the total housing stock grew by 15,200.
The discrepancy between permits and construction reflects ongoing delays in the sector. “Considerations like the nitrogen crisis, prolonged objection procedures, and labor shortages are still delaying construction,” Jan van der Doelen, a real estate and construction expert at ING, told NU.nl. “These are familiar challenges.”
Construction permits for commercial buildings also fell, with 3,700 new permits issued, 1,100 fewer than a year earlier. Meanwhile, 3,100 commercial buildings were completed, slightly below last year’s level.
In recent years, the Netherlands has consistently permitted more homes than are ultimately built after accounting for canceled projects.
The number of homes “in the pipeline” — permitted but not yet built — rose by 8,100 compared with the previous quarter. For commercial buildings, the increase was 700.
Approved construction costs for homes in the third quarter reached 3.7 billion euros, up 22 percent from a year earlier. For commercial buildings, approved costs fell 8 percent to 1.7 billion euros.
Construction sector revenue rose for the sixth consecutive quarter, increasing 4.8 percent compared with the same period last year. Residential and utility construction turnover grew 5.6 percent, civil engineering rose 7.0 percent, and specialized construction activities increased 3.5 percent. Only other specialized activities saw a 1.0 percent decline.
CBS reports that the sector experienced 115 bankruptcies in the third quarter, 14 fewer than in the second quarter, while 29,500 vacancies were reported — 15,000 new and 16,000 filled.
