Construction activity in Cyprus recorded a sharp increase during the first eleven months of 2025, with both the total area and value of building permits rising significantly, according to new figures from the Cyprus Statistical Service.
Between January and November 2025, the total floor area of projects granted building permits reached 2,945,408 square metres, marking a 35.3% increase compared with 2,176,919 square metres during the same period in 2024.
The total value of licensed projects also climbed strongly, reaching €3.59 billion, a 31.8% rise year-on-year, highlighting the renewed momentum in the island’s development sector.
Residential projects drive building permits growth
The increase in construction activity was accompanied by a rise in the number of building permits issued, which reached 7,340 between January and November 2025, up 13.9% from 6,442 permits during the same period a year earlier.
The growth was largely fuelled by residential developments. Permits for residential buildings totalled 5,472, representing a 23.9% increase compared with 2024.
By contrast, permits for non-residential buildings fell sharply to 768, a 24.3% decline year-on-year.
Other construction categories showed mixed trends. Permits for civil engineering projects rose to 445, an increase of 20.3%, while plot subdivision permits reached 543, up 14.8%.
However, permits for road construction projects declined to 112, representing a 33.3% fall compared with the previous year.
Apartment developments lead housing expansion
The surge in construction permits is expected to translate into a significant increase in housing supply.
The total number of residential units planned reached 14,401, a 36.1% rise compared with 10,584 units in the same period of 2024.
Apartment developments accounted for the largest share of growth. Planned flats in residential buildings rose to 9,586 units, reflecting a 44.1% increase.
Meanwhile, detached houses climbed to 3,507 units, up 35.2%, while semi-detached homes reached 1,069 units, marking a 42.0% increase year-on-year.
Snapshot of November activity
On a monthly basis, 850 building permits were issued in November 2025, with a total value of €382.9 million and a combined floor area of 333,400 square metres.
These permits provide for the construction of 1,631 residential units, underlining the continued strength of housing development across the island.
Planning reform and digital transition
The Statistical Service also noted that from 1 July 2024, responsibility for issuing building permits was transferred from municipalities and district administrations to the newly established District Local Government Organizations (DLGOS).
At the same time, the licensing process moved to the integrated digital platform “Ippodamos“.
Officials noted that the early months of the reform brought technical and procedural challenges, which affected the timely production of some statistical data during the transition period.
However, as we reported yesterday, the Property Developers Association has warned that authorising building permits is taking longer than the time needed to construct a project.
