Category Archives: Building Plans

A total of 198 building plans were approved by the City of Windhoek in March, representing a 9.6% m/m decrease from the 219 building plans approved in February. The total value of approvals fell by 18.1% m/m to N$128.0 million. The year-to-date value of approved building plans reached N$413.0 million, 1.7% higher than in the first quarter of 2021. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, 2,473 building plans with a value of N$1.97 billion have been approved, an increase of 4.9% y/y in number and 15.7% y/y in value terms. The number of completions for the month of March stood at 116, valued at N$74.1 million.

Additions to properties, the largest portion of approvals in both number and value terms, made up 133 of the total 198 approved building plans recorded in March, one more than registered in February. In the first quarter of the year, 364 additions to properties have been approved with a value of N$208.5 million, a 5.5% y/y increase in number and 29.9% y/y value terms. 58 additions worth N$14.5 million were completed in March.

New residential units were the second largest contributor to the total number and value of building plans approved with 63 new units worth N$41.8 million being registered, representing a 51.9% y/y decrease from the N$86.9 million worth of approvals in March 2021. On a 12-month cumulative basis, the number of residential units approved increased by 4.9% y/y to 842. While the number of new residential building plans approved during the first quarter were two more than during the same period last year, the value of these approvals fell by 28.3% y/y. 56 new residential units worth N$51.9 million were completed during the month.

2 New commercial and industrial units, valued at N$30 million were approved in March. This is 2 units fewer than approved in February, but an increase of 823.1% m/m and 328.6% y/y in value terms, although the increases are from a very low base. The increase in value is due to a N$25 million building plan submitted by Vivo Energy Namibia. Year-to-date, there have been 9 commercial and industrial building approvals valued at N$38.8 million. On a rolling 12-month perspective, the number of commercial and industrial building approvals has increased to 38 units worth N$195.7 million as at March, compared to the 25 approved units worth N$98.7 million over the corresponding period a year ago. Two commercial and industrial units worth N$7.6 million were completed in March.

The 12-month cumulative number of building plans approved increased by 4.9% y/y in March. A total of 2,473 building plans to the value of N$1.97 billion were approved over the last 12 months which represents an increase in value terms of 15.7% y/y. Additions to properties continue to make up the majority of the cumulative approvals at 64.4% in number terms. The number of commercial and industrial approvals has continuously remained in the single-digit territory since March 2020, indicating a lack of investment from businesses. The first quarter of the year saw total approvals generally in line with those of Q1 last year, recording an increase of only 3.9% y/y in number and 1.7% y/y in value terms. Completed building plans decreased by 27.7% y/y in value terms to N$1.06 billion on a 12-month cumulative basis.

The City of Windhoek approved 219 building plans in February, representing a 24.4% m/m increase from the 176 building plans approved in January. In monetary terms, the approvals were valued at N$156.3 million, a 21.5% m/m increase. Year-to-date 395 building plans worth N$285.0 million have got the nod, an increase in number of 15.2% y/y and 14.9% y/y in value terms. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, 2,503 buildings with the value of N$2.00 billion were approved, an increase of 8.9% in number and 18.6% in value terms over the prior 12-month period. 144 building plans worth N$53.1 million were completed during the month.

In terms of both number and value of approvals, additions to properties once again made up the largest portion of approvals. For the month of February 132 additions to properties were approved with a value of N$76.8 million, 1 more than in February 2021. The value of the additions approved is 8.8% higher than during the same month last year. 104 Additions worth N$20.6 million were completed during the month.

New residential units were the second largest contributor to the number and value of building plans approved with 83 approvals registered in February, 9 more than in January. In value terms N$76.2 million worth of residential units were approved in February, a 59.6% m/m increase. On a year-on-year basis the value of approvals is however 17.9% lower than registered in February 2021. On a 12-month cumulative basis the number of residential units approved increased by 17.5% y/y to 860, although this number has been ticking down since May last year when it stood at 933. 40 New residential units worth N$32.6 million were completed in February.

4 New commercial units valued at N$3.6 million were approved in February. This compares to 3 units valued at N$505,000 approved in February 2021. Year-to-date there have been 7 commercial building approvals valued at N$8.8 million, which translates to a 75.0% y/y increase in number and 17.0% y/y increase in value terms compared to the same period last year. These increases are from an evidently low base low base. On a rolling 12-month perspective, the number of commercial and industrial approvals increased to 40 units worth N$172.7 million, compared to the 26 approved units worth N$180.8 million over the corresponding period a year ago. No commercial and industrial units were completed in February.

The 12-month cumulative number of building plans increased by 8.9% y/y in February to 2,503. While this in an increase from the prior 12-month period, it has been hovering around the current level since April last year, showing nearly no meaningful improvement since then. Residential approvals have recorded a decent recovery in 2021 following the slowdown in 2020, but has too stagnated at current levels on a 12-month cumulative basis in both number and value terms since April last year. As pointed out last month, the number of commercial and industrial approvals continues to trend in the low single digit territory and in value terms, commercial approvals have remained below the N$200 million mark on a cumulative 12-month basis for the last 13 months.

A total of 176 building plans were approved by the City of Windhoek in January, representing a 79.6% m/m increase from the 98 building plans approved in December. In monetary terms, the approvals were valued at N$128.7 million. 2022 is off to a better start in both number and value terms compared to January 2021 when 122 building plans worth N$84.0 million got the nod. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, 2,505 building plans worth approximately N$2.01 billion were approved, an increase in number of 9.7% y/y and 14.9% y/y in value terms over the prior 12-month period.

In terms of both number and value, additions to properties made up the largest portion of approvals. For the month of January, 99 additions to properties were approved with a value of N$75.4 million, 28 more than the number of additions approved in January 2021. The value of approvals is however slightly skewed by a single large approval of N$21.1 million during the month. 40 Additions worth N$9.2 million were completed during the month.

New residential units were the second largest contributor to the total number of building plans approved in January. 74 New units worth N$47.7 million were approved during the month, representing a 6.9% decrease from the N$51.3 million worth of approvals in the first month of 2021. On a 12-month cumulative basis, residential units recorded a 20.7% y/y increase in value. 30 New residential units worth N$17.1 million were completed during the month. 

3 New commercial units, valued at N$5.5 million, were approved in January. This compares to 1 unit valued at N$7.0 million approved in January 2021. On average over the last 20 years, 4 commercial units valued at N$26.5 million were approved in the first month of the year. On a rolling 12-month perspective, the number of commercial and industrial approvals have increased to 39 units worth N$169.9 million as at January, compared to the 36 approved units worth N$202.2 million over the corresponding period a year ago. 1 Commercial unit worth N$140,000 was completed in January.

The 12-month cumulative number of building plans approved increased by 9.7% y/y in January. A total of 2,505 building plans to the value of N$2.01 billion were approved over the last 12 months which represents an increase in value terms of 14.9% y/y. Additions to properties, which are generally smaller projects, continue to make up the lion’s share of building plan approvals, although residential units are encouragingly starting to make up a larger portion of overall approvals. Since March 2020, the number of commercial and industrial approvals have remained in the low single digit territory, signalling a lack of investment from businesses. It is evident that the Namibian construction industry continues to tread water as the value of approvals continues to decline in real terms, as the chart above shows.