One third fewer family houses started to be built in South Bohemia this year than last year

In the first three quarters of this year, construction of 1,547 flats started in South Bohemia, down nearly four percent year-on-year. Construction of family houses started by a third less than in the same period last year. Most flats were started in the Český Krumlov district, which accounted for more than a quarter of the region's housing construction, mainly flats in new apartment buildings. Companies in the region completed 1,629 flats from January to September, a year-on-year increase of 12 percent. This is according to preliminary data from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ).

In four of the seven South Bohemian districts, the number of flats that have started construction has fallen. In the České Budějovice region, the year-on-year decline was half. "Construction of new family houses in the region started in 707 flats, a third fewer than in the same period of the previous year. Flats of this type accounted for less than 46 percent of the construction starts in the region," said Irena Votrubová from the regional administration of the Czech Statistical Office in České Budějovice. In the south of Bohemia, 506 new flats were built, almost two thirds of them in the Český Krumlov region.

Almost two thirds of the 1,629 flats completed by companies in the region between January and September were in new family houses. This was a year-on-year increase of more than a fifth. In a comparison of districts, Českobudějovicko accounted for the largest number of completed flats, 36 per cent of the total.

In the Czech Republic, 27,304 flats were started from January to September, a year-on-year decrease of about 15 percent. The figures fell in all regions except Karlovy Vary. Completed flats also fell by almost four percent year-on-year, with 25,957 completed in the first three quarters.

Due to lower demand, the largest Czech brick producers, Wienerberger and Heluz, are shutting down their plants this year. Wienerberger laid off 24 people at its roofing plant in Hranice na Moravě, where it produces roofing tiles, and reduced the number of shifts from four to three. Kamil Jeřábek, the company's CEO, told the Czech Press Agency. In October, the company announced that it had shut down its plant in Týn nad Vltavou, where it laid off 35 of its 54 workers. Wienerberger had around 900 employees last year.

Source: ČSÚ nd CTK