The number of construction permits issued in Tbilisi fluctuates between 1,500 and 2,000 annually, according to the head of the Tbilisi City Hall Architecture Service, Teimuraz Bolotashvili.
Bolotashvili said that the majority of permits – about 85–90% – are issued for individual residential houses, although in terms of total floor area, multi-apartment buildings account for the largest share. He also noted that in recent years, there has been a growing trend in permits issued for industrial and warehouse buildings.
Responding to a question about whether available development space in the capital is shrinking, Bolotashvili said that Tbilisi still has significant resources for development. According to him, the city includes a number of former industrial zones that can be redeveloped into residential or commercial complexes.
He added that the construction of individual houses surged after the COVID-19 pandemic, though the trend has since stabilized and slightly declined in recent years. However, in a five-year perspective, the number of individual residential houses has still increased by about 20–30%.
According to Bolotashvili, the city’s general development plan includes several polycentric areas designed for intensive construction, and the presence of large former industrial territories provides additional development potential. As a result, he does not expect a dramatic slowdown in construction in the coming years, noting that the current pace of development, around 4 million square meters annually, is likely to be maintained.
