By Brent Fox

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

Permit values for West Hants rebounded during January and February.

Permit values in the municipality had enjoyed a record level in 2006 at $24.3 million, before settling back to $18.8 million -- still above the $15.7-million five-year average -- last year.

Windsor-West Planning Department statistics show that by the end of February, building permit values in the municipality had reached $1,970,000, of which $1,627,000 was for that month alone. This is compared to $893,500 for the same periods last calendar year.

February’s figures included $1,012,000 for new residential units while January’s included $287,500 for four new such units.

New commercial projects accounted for $120,000 in value during February, with renovations and so on adding a further $15,000.

During 2007, West Hants had 80 new single-family construction and mobile home placement and a duplex permits, accounting for a total of $10.4 million. More than 60 per cent of the new units were in unserviced, rural areas of the municipality while 39 per cent were in Falmouth and Three Mile Plains serviced areas.

Agricultural construction rose to $744,800 in value last year, up from $174,000 in 2006.

Commercial construction values declined to $765,700 last year, down from the $4.6 million high in 2006, which included construction of a new motel.

Industrial projects accounted for $1 million in values last year, down from the $2.9 million values in 2006 and the five-year average of about the same.

Department figures also show that Windsor achieved $2.1 million in permit values in 2007, again down from the more than $6 million the previous year, which enjoyed a number of commercial and industrial projects.

Last year, almost half the value -- $996,775 -- was for residential construction, including three single-family units, a duplex, and nine conversions to apartments.

Institutional permits accounted for $428,000 last year, down from the $1.8 million in 2006 and the $1.6-million five-year average.

Commercial projects came in at $120,800, down from $2.5 million in 2006, and the $1.4-million five-year average. There was one industrial project – for $300,000 – in 2007.

Windsor’s five-year building value average is $4.7 million.