A total of 383 building permits for construction work valued at $85m were issued for the March quarter of this year.

The Fiji Bureau of Statistics says this is an increase of 31.2 percent compared to the December quarter of 2021.

Acting Chief Executive Maria Musudroka clarified that of the $85m value associated with the building permits issued, $28.6m are for private dwellings, $53.4m for other buildings and $3m for other alterations and miscellaneous.

Musudroka adds that of the 383 building permits issued, 83.5 percent were for the Central Division, 13.7 percent for the Western and 2.8 percent for the Northern Division.

According to FBoS, the corresponding value of works also increased by 95.4 percent compared to the previous quarter.