11,300 authorisations for the construction of residential buildings (buildings with one or more households) were released in Romania in the first four months of 2010, a 22.8% drop against the same period of last year, according to the National Statististics Institute (INS) data. April saw the release of 3,686 residential buildings construction authorisations, a 7% up against March and dropping 9.5%against the same month last year.

Out of the number of residential buildings construction authorisations released in April, 63.9% were for the rural area.

In comparison with March 2010, there was an increase in the number of authorisations for the construction of residential buildings in most of the developing regions. The most significant growth was recorded in: South-Muntenia (+116 authorisations), North-East (+70) and South-West (+49). The progress dropped in Central and North-West Romania.

There were 385 less authorisations released for the building of residential constructions in April this year than in April last year, which reflects a drop in almost all developing regions. The most serious drops occurred in: Bucharest-Ilfov (-105 authorisations), South-East (-100), North-West (-78) and North-East (-58). Increases in the number of authorisations issued for the construction of residential buildings were recorded in the central region (+13).

After the first four months of the year, the number of authorisations issued for the construction of residential buildings dropped 22.8% against the same period last year, to up 11,307 authorisations.