New figures included in a government report show that there is a lack of up to 1.5 million homes and that the average Polish wage allows for the purchase of 0.8 square metres, while in western Europe the average wage amounts to between 2 and 3 square metres.

The government report on the problems of housing and which includes a development plan until 2020 was approved by the Sejm lower parliamentary house on Friday.

The last document to record Poles purchasing power and home ownership was drafted in 2002, and was based on the National Census. The document showed that the difference between the number of homes and number of residences that are lived in reached 1.7 million, 1.1 million of which are in cities.

Between 2003 – 2009, figure from the Central Statistics Agency show that 950,000 apartments were built, while the number of dwellings increased by 1.1 million.

“The figures mean that the current deficit of residences in Poland is set at around 1.85 million […],” the report states, concluding that “the actual home deficit is around 1.4 to 1.5 million.”

The report states that currently 160-165,000 abodes are built per year, the highest figures since 1989. (jb)

Source: PAP