According to a report by ECO, last year, 25,100 buildings were licensed, the highest number in the last ten years, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). However, the number of completed buildings has dropped by more than 30% in the last decade. The North and Centre regions lead in both categories, concentrating around half of the licensed and completed buildings.

In 2021, 25.1 thousand buildings were licensed and 15.2 thousand buildings were completed, corresponding to increases of 8.9% and 4.1%, respectively, compared to 2020. Compared to the whole of 2019, when the pandemic appeared, the increases are 4.2% in licensed buildings and 8% in completed buildings. “2021 has the highest figure in the last ten years” in terms of licensed buildings — 17% up on 2012.

In an analysis of the various regions of the country, 38.6% of the total licensed buildings in 2021 are in the North, equivalent to 44% of licensed dwellings in new constructions for family housing and 42.4% of the total licensed area in Portugal. Together with the Centre, the two regions accounted for 65.1% of licensed buildings, 64% of licensed dwellings in new construction for family housing and 65.5% of the total licensed area in the country.

In turn, licensed buildings in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area represented 17.5% of the total number of licensed buildings in the country, corresponding to 21.3% of the total number of licensed dwellings in new construction for family housing and 17.6% of the total licensed area.