New data from Greece’s National Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) shows a strong rebound in construction activity in March 2026, with building permits rising sharply nationwide. Overall, 2,697 permits were issued — up 22.3% year-on-year — covering a total floor area of 568,908 square meters and a volume of 2,569,307 cubic meters. That marks a 40.7% increase in area and a 38% jump in volume compared to March 2025.
Private Sector Drives Growth
The private sector accounted for the vast majority of activity: 2,662 permits were issued in March, covering 557,463 m² and 2,473,520 m³. Year-on-year, those figures rose by 21.3%, 40.3%, and 35.5%, respectively. In contrast, public-sector construction remained limited — just 35 permits were issued, representing only 3.7% of the total construction volume.
Regional Breakdown: Athens Leads, Northern Greece and Crete Gain Momentum
Attica retained its top position, issuing 633 permits in March 2026 — up 39.1% from 455 a year earlier. More strikingly, the total floor area increased by 79%, and construction volume jumped by 99.2%.
Central Macedonia saw robust growth as well: permits rose to 359 from 251, a 43% annual increase. Floor area climbed 72.5%, and volume surged 66.6%. On Crete, 282 permits were issued — up 21.6% from 232 — with floor area up 76.2% and volume soaring 110.5%.
Other regions posting notable gains included the Ionian Islands (235 permits, +21.8%), Thessaly (141 permits, +20.5%), and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (132 permits, +17.9%).
Mixed Trends Elsewhere
Growth wasn’t uniform across the country. In Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), permit numbers rose 21.6%, but floor area dropped 39% and volume fell 64.9%. In the Peloponnese, permits edged up just 4.6%, while area shrank 31.4% and volume plunged 61.3%. The South Aegean recorded declines across all three metrics: permits down 7.3%, area down 5.1%, and volume down 6.7%.
First Quarter and Annual Totals
Nationwide, total construction activity for Q1 2026 rose 14.4% in number of permits, 48.3% in floor area, and 60% in volume versus Q1 2025. Private-sector activity followed a similar trend: +14.1% in permits, +49.5% in area, and +60.4% in volume.
Over the 12-month period from April 2025 to March 2026, Greece issued a total of 31,078 building permits, covering 7,112,414 square meters.