Half of the stock of 72,000 dwellings recorded as vacant in the national census two years ago consists of summer residences, an analysis presented to architects shows. The analysis was presented by Michael Pace Ross, head of the National Statistics Office.

It shows that 46 per cent of vacant dwellings were reserved for seasonal or secondary use. This means that just over 33,000 properties were not available on the market despite being recorded as vacant.

This is the first time that a more detailed breakdown of vacant property was given after the NSO confirmed some months ago there were 72,150 empty houses, up from the 53,136 recorded in the 2005 census.

Environmental groups have often quoted the headline figure for vacant properties to justify their argument against more construction projects but the breakdown paints a slightly different picture.

More details in The Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium.

MDA REACTION

In a reaction today, the Malta Developers' Association said the analysis confirmed what it had always maintained,- that the number of vacant residential units that results from the last census is not equivalent to the number of vacant units that are up for sale in the property market.

"When one considers the number of units that are used as summer residences, as well as the number of properties that are in a dilapidated state or need repairs and those that are still in shell form, it is clear that the number of units that are ready for habitation and up for sale is only a fraction, that is less than 25% of the total number of properties indicated as vacant," the MDA said.

It urged the National Statistics Office to carry out a deeper study so that more detailed statistics on the different categories of vacant properties could be provided  in a scientific manner.

"Decisions that affect the property market should always be taken when one has the actual facts at hand and should always be based on these facts rather than on attitudes arising from emotions, as some expect," the association said.

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