More than 18 per cent jump in housing plot allotments last year

Muscat: The Ministry of Housing allotted a total of 36,733 residential plots across the country till the end of December 2018, a rise of 18.5 per cent over the same period of last year.
Among the governorates, allotment was the highest in the A’Dakhliyah, with 9,037 plots allotted in the January-December period, up by 9.1 per cent compared to 8,283 in the same period of 2017. Allotment was lowest in the Musandam, with just 15 plots allotted during the 12-month period of 2018, declining 98.78 per cent.
In the Governorate of A’Dhahira witnessed a phenomenal growth of 212.43 per cent in plot allotment, at 6,005 plots. In addition, plot allotments rose by 28.83 per cent and 71.57 per cent to 3,856 plots and 5,859 plots in the Governorates of South and North A’Sharqiyah, respectively.
Meanwhile, housing plot allotments in Muscat, Al Batinah South, Al Buraimi and Al Wusta fell by 3.22 per cent and 5.15 per cent, 46.94 per cent and 30.53 per cent to 2,979 plots, 5,692 plots, 624 plots and 726 plots, respectively, during the 12-month period under review.
Residential plot allotments rose by 2.89 per cent in Dhofar (1,138) and 7.94 per cent in Al-Batinah North (802) till the end of December 2018 compared to last year. The Ministry of Housing allotted 30,995 housing plots in 2017.