Pace of new housing construction slows down in Malaga
In the third quarter of this year no subsidised housing projects by private developers were approved in the province, which includes the Costa del Sol
The pace of residential construction during the third quarter of the year slowed in Malaga province. According to data from Malaga's association of architects, 1,804 new homes were approved between July and September, 16.4% less than in the same period in 2024, when 2,158 units were approved.
In the single-family housing category, 179 projects were registered (a total of 230 units), with an overall budget of over 66 million euros. The most notable are the municipalities of Malaga (38 homes), Mijas (37), Fuengirola (29) and Marbella (20).
As for multi-family housing, some 54 projects were approved this quarter, totalling 1,574 units and an investment exceeding 208 million euros. The municipalities with the highest number of housing projects are Malaga (503), Mijas (240), Manilva (196), Estepona (194) and Fuengirola (176). As usual, activity remains concentrated on the Costa del Sol, while inland construction continues with few new developments.
During this period, no privately promoted subsidised housing (VPO) projects were registered with the architects' association. VPOs developed by public governing bodies follow their own procedures and do not necessarily require professional approval.
"This trend highlights the urgent need to review and adapt urban planning policies to ensure a sustainable and affordable housing supply for all citizens," said Susana Gómez de Lara, dean for Malaga's association of architects, reminding us that housing continues to be society's main concern across Spain.
In this regard, she referred to the report 'Diagnosis and proposals to solve the housing problem in Spain', published by the CSCAE (Spain's higher council of all architects' associations), which stresses the urgent need for a state pact coordinated with all regions to address the housing crisis. Among the measures proposed are the streamlining of administrative procedures, the importance of increasing the stock of subsidised and free housing, as well as attempting to influence the reducing of prices for both sales and rentals, limiting, among other things, tourist housing.
Completed homes
Between July and September, 1,500 homes were completed, down 25.9% on the same period last year (2,024), most of them corresponding to projects developed on Malaga's coast.
In the area of free, single-family housing, 118 projects were completed, including 228 units, with an investment of over 48.5 million euros. Meanwhile, affordable multi-family housing saw 51 completed developments, with 1,272 units and a combined budget of close to 202.5 million euros.
As with approved projects, no public housing developments were completed during the quarter.
Refurbishments
Turning to property renovations, 118 partial refurbishment projects were completed during the third quarter of the year, generating a total of 53 new homes: nine single-family and 44 multi-family. Malaga city was the municipality with the highest number of units generated (19).
Regarding approved refurbishments, 142 new homes are planned: 14 single-family and 128 multi-family homes. Malaga again leads this category with 48 units planned, followed by Benalmádena (16) and Torremolinos (14).
Nine comprehensive renovation projects were also approved, six for single-family homes and three for multi-family homes, creating a revised unit. In addition, four home insulation projects were authorised in municipalities such as Malaga, Marbella and Cártama.
For the association's dean in Malaga, "the refurbishment of existing building stock is essential to promote sustainability and improve the energy efficiency of our buildings. It is essential to accelerate these processes, especially for the inland areas within the province, to prevent depopulation and promote balanced and equitable development," she concluded.
