The building continues to recover, especially in Barcelona and the coast of Girona. But at a lower rate than expected. Leaving construction in Catalonia below other national markets.
The construction activity has not returned to Catalonia the pace lost during the years of the crisis. Although the metropolitan area of ??Barcelona and the coast of Girona seem to grow, its situation contrasts with the rest of the provinces and counties.
The report ‘Building in Catalonia 2017’, prepared by the College of Architects (COAC) from the building permits shows a worrying panorama.
While the number of projects approved increases by 23%, the square meters do so by 9.1%. A difference that is due to the shortage of large projects, according to the COAC.
And that also alerts of a panorama, for the construction in Catalonia, very far from offering enough replacement housing.
It suffices with a data to understand it. The 11,250 homes approved in 2017 are much lower than the 40,000 needed to conveniently replace the current residential park.
While rehabilitation projects aimed at the search for energy efficiency seem relegated to a testimonial role.
Catalonia continues to build, but at a slower pace
According to the COAC, based on the visas presented, the area allocated to construction in Catalonia has increased by 9.1% in 2017.
The exercise that closed with 3.9 million square meters visas. An important figure, compared to the 2.1 million visas in 2013, but insufficient we took the one registered in 2006 (23.89 million).
Historical maximum registered in the real estate boom. And even comparing it with the volume of 1993 (8 million).
En 2017, mientras el número de proyectos autorizados crecía un 23% interanual, la superficie visada se incrementaba en un 9,1%. Porcentaje muy inferior al de años precedentes, como 2016 (+24%) o 2015 (+26%).
Por ello, y aunque la superficie aumenta, los niveles siguen siendo demasiado ‘bajos’ para ser considerados ‘normales’. Todavía demasiado cerca de los mínimos históricos, tras haber enterrado la crisis.
El lento despertar de la construcción en Cataluña
“Si las cifras suben en el conjunto de Cataluña es debido al comportamiento de las demarcaciones de Barcelona y Girona, porque la otra mitad del territorio sigue sin responder”, afirman desde el COAC.
A todo ello debe sumarse la escasez de proyectos importantes. Un factor que hace que el crecimiento actual sea claramente insuficiente.
Undoubtedly, the most important reason for the slowdown should be sought in the current size of the construction projects. If at the beginning of the recovery the macro projects were resumed, today the ones that lose more weight are those of greater size.
Large projects, with more than 10,000 square meters, have fallen by 17%. While those of small and medium volume have been gaining ground. A 9% those projects less than 500 m2, 26% those with 500 to 3,000 m2 and 27% if they move from 3,000 to 10,000 m2.
More than two million m2 near Barcelona
In the map of construction projects in Catalonia, not all demarcations manage to resume the activity.
The city of Barcelona already showed signs of recovery, before even ending the crisis. In fact, the capital has accumulated a growth of 128% since 2013. A dynamic that has ended up breaking in 2017. After falling by 13%.
In the last year, the greatest activity has focused on the province of Barcelona (except for the city of Barcelona). An area that began to recover in 2014 and that accumulates a growth of 101% after raising seventeen points in 2017.
It also traces the province of Girona. 69% from the exit of the crisis, after adding twenty points last year.
While Tarragona and the Ebro do it at a significantly lower rate, with 3% and 25% year-on-year. And a surface visada still at minimum. As Lleida is still immersed in post-crisis depression. With another fall of 1% in 2017.
One half of the territory where the building hardly shows improvement. While the first two metropolitan crowns of Barcelona and the Costa Brava are still the engine of construction in Catalonia.
Without sufficient level of replacement housing
If the construction does not give great joys, the rehabilitation is not an exception either. Showing really low activity levels.
In fact, of the total area approved in Catalonia last year (3.9 million square meters), less than a third corresponded to reforms.
Specifically, 1.2 million m2 for rehabilitation compared to 2.6 million focused on new construction.
As a whole, the lack of sufficient construction activity and the lack of rehabilitation in an old-fashioned park leave a worrying landscape. Especially now, there is a lot of concern to reach an adequate replacement rate.
And it is that, ‘a residential park with four million homes, like Catalonia, would need to replace 40,000 units per year; while the sector can barely offer more than 11,000 ‘.
What can be expected? Hopefully a change of direction in the promotion and a little more responsibility in the urban policy.
