The number of building permits issued for residential buildings fell in the third quarter of this year.

The drop was of just over 24 per cent compared to the same three months last year, according to figures released by the National Statistics Office.

While the number of permits for maisonettes rose by 6.6 per cent, those issued for apartments dropped by 26 per cent.

The decline was even steeper in permits for the construction of terraced houses and other residential-type buildings, at 36.1 and 37.5 per cent respectively.

In terms of jobs, the construction industry witnessed a drop of 2.5 per cent in employment. On the other hand, employment in civil engineering added 9.5 per cent.

Wages and salaries declined by 2.7 per cent overall but this drop was partially mitigated by a 17.2 per cent rise in wages and salaries paid in respect of civil engineering.

The number of hours worked also fell, by 5.7 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter of last year.

The construction industry has been passing through what the Malta Developers’ Association describes as a recession for the sector. According to the association, the number of permits issued for dwellings fell from 11,343 in 2007 to 4,444 last year.