RAMALLAH, February 24, 2010 (WAFA)- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) released a Statistical Report on Building Licenses for the Fourth Quarter 2009 which indicates that the total number of building licenses issued in the West Bank was 1,482.
They were distributed as follows: 839 licenses for new buildings, 305 licenses for additions to licensed buildings, 62 licenses for additions and existing parts, 262 licenses for existing buildings and 14 licenses for existing extensions.
The results show that the total area licensed was 593.7 thousand (m2), distributed as 500.5 thousand (m2) for new areas and 93.2 thousand (m2) for existing areas. The total number of licensed dwellings was 2,091 units: 1,668 were new dwelling units and 423 were existing dwelling units, while the number of licensed boundary walls was 62.
The total number of building licenses issued increased by 51.2% in the Fourth Quarter 2009 compared with the Fourth Quarter 2008. Also the total number of licensed dwellings increased by 50.1% compared with the Fourth Quarter 2008, and the total licensed areas increased by 54.0 % compared with the Fourth Quarter 2008. Also the total number of issued licenses in 2009 increased by 19% compared with 2008, and it reached 5306 in 2009.
It should be noted that obtaining data from Gaza Strip was not possible for the report of Building Licenses Q4 of 2009, and the data does not include those parts of Jerusalem Governorate which were annexed by Israel in 1967.
