During the third quarter of 2022, 446 building permits for a total of 2,092 new dwellings were approved, the National Statistics Office said.

When compared to the corresponding quarter of 2021, the number of building permits increased by 2.1%, while the number of approved new dwellings decreased by 3.3%. The average number of approved new dwellings per building permit stood at 4.7.

"The majority of new dwellings approved during the third quarter of 2022 were apartments (1,488), followed by penthouses (348), maisonettes (177), terraced houses (58) and other residential units (21). The majority of the total number of approved new dwellings were apartments (71.1%)."

When compared to the corresponding quarter of 2021, the number of new dwellings approved in Malta decreased by 7.3%, while the new dwellings approved in Gozo and Comino increased by 15%. The highest number of approved new dwellings was registered in the Northern Harbour district (738) while the lowest number was recorded in the Western district (140), the NSO said.

The highest number of approved new dwellings were issued in Qormi (198). This was followed by Mosta (96), Sannat (88), Birkirkara (86) and St Paul's Bay (80).