Qatar witnessed 67% increase in building permits issued by various municipalities in August; with Al Shamal and Al Rayyan recording the fastest expansion, according to official figures.
The new building permits (residential and non-residential) constitute 57% (351 permits) of the total building permits issued in  the country in August, while the additions constituted 38% (237 permits) and fencing permits 5% (28 permits), said the figures released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS).
The monthly data comes under the co-operation between the MDPS and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to make use of the existing electronic link between the two ministries.
Although there had been a general rise of 67% in total building permits issued in the country, Al Shamal witnessed 240% increase in August month-on-month, followed by Rayyan (127%), Umm Slal (72%), Al Daayen (69%), Al Wakrah (38%), Al Khor (32%) and Doha (19%).
According to the geographical distribution, MDPS found that Rayyan municipality (including Sheehaniya) came at the top where the number of building permits issued were 234 or 38% of the total issued permits; while Doha came in second place with 100 permits (16%), Al Wakrah 91 permits (15%), Al Daayen 81 permits (13%), Al Khor 50 permits (8%), Umm Slal 43 permits (7%), and Al Shamal 17 permits (3%).
Within the new residential buildings permits, MDPS said villas’ permits topped the list, accounting for 48% (151 permits) of all new residential buildings permits, followed by ‘dwellings of housing loans’ 39% (121 permits) and apartments buildings 11% (35 permits).
Commercial buildings were found to be in the forefront of non-residential buildings permits with 51% (20 permits), followed by industrial buildings as workshops and factories 23% (nine permits), mosques 15% (six permits) and other non-residential buildings 8% (three permits).
Of the 312 new residential building permits issued in the country in August this year, 151 were for villas, followed by 121 for ‘dwellings of housing loans’, 35 apartments and five others.
Doha witnessed 30 new residential building permits issued in August, which included 15 permits for apartments and 14 for villas.
Rayyan had seen 106 new residential permits being issued in August, which comprised 64 villas and 39 ‘dwellings on housing loans’.
In the case of Al Wakrah, a total of 71 new permits were issued for residential purposes, which included nine for villas and 57 for ‘dwellings on housing loans’.
Al Daayen saw a total of 62 new residential buildings permits being issued in August, of which 34 were for villas, 15 for apartments and 13 for ‘dwellings on housing loans’.
Al Khor saw a total of 18 permits issued for residential purposes, of which 15 were for villas.