A TOTAL of 346 building permits for construction works valued at $333.3million were issued in the June quarter for 2012. Despite this, only 132 completion certificates with a value of $14.4m were issued for the same period.
The permits, according to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, were granted for private dwellings which constituted 3.4 per cent of the value while 95.9 per cent were for other buildings. The remaining 0.7 per cent was for alterations and miscellaneous work.
In a release on building statistics, the bureau said 55.2 per cent or permits valued at $16.3m were issued for the Central Division alone while the highest 38.7 per cent or permits valued at $315.9m were given out in the Western Division. "Around 6.1 per cent with a value of $1.1m were issued for the Northern and Eastern divisions. When compared to the June 2011 quarter, the number of permits issued and their value were 0.9 per cent and 855.5 per cent higher respectively," the bureau said.
"Compared to the March 2012 quarter, a 0.3 per cent decrease was recorded in the number of permits issued while the total value for building works approved increased by 663.1 per cent.
"Building permits issued for commercial buildings contributed significantly to the non-private dwellings component."
On the completion certificates when compared to the March 2012 quarter, the bureau noted a 20 per cent increase in number of certificates issued, however there was a decrease of 35.7 per cent in their value.
"When compared to the June 2011 quarter, the number of completion certificates issued and their value were 29.4 per cent and 18.9 per cent higher respectively," the bureau said.
"Of the $14.4m in building works completed, 27.4 per cent were for private dwellings, 62.5 per cent were for other buildings and the remaining 10.1 per cent were for alterations and miscellaneous work.
"Completion certificates issued for commercial buildings contributed significantly to the non-private dwellings component."
The bureau said 63.6 per cent with a value of $10.5m were issued for the Central Division, 28.8 per cent with a value of $3.4m were issued for the Western Division while 7.6 per cent with a value of $0.5m were issued for the Northern and Eastern divisions.