Belarus to build 4m m2 of housing in 2021

MINSK, 21 January (BelTA) – Belarus is planning to build 4 million m2 of housing in 2021. This plan has been formalized by Resolution No.24 of the Council of Ministers of 18 January, which was published on the National Legal Internet portal on 21 January, BelTA learned.

According to the plan for the current year, out of 4 million m2 of total housing area, Brest Oblast will build 590,000 m2, Vitebsk Oblast - 330,000 m2, Gomel Oblast - 500,000 m2, Grodno Oblast - 420,000 m2, Mogilev Oblast – 360,000 m2. Plans are in place to construct 600,000 m2 of housing in the Belarusian capital. The most ambitious task has been set forth for Minsk Oblast - 1.2 million m2: 150,000 sq m m2 in the satellite town of Smolevichi for Minsk citizens in need of better housing. The Minsk City Hall will be responsible for this development project.

In general, construction of individual housing is projected to total at least 40% of the new housing areas across the country.

There are plans to build 172,400 m2 of housing in which electricity will be used for heating, hot water supply and cooking. Of them, 11,300 m2 will be built in Brest Oblast, 27,000 m2 in Vitebsk Oblast, 16,200 m2 in Gomel Oblast, 30,000m2 in Grodno Oblast and Mogilev Oblast each, 50,000m2 in Minsk Oblast and 7,900 m2 in Minsk.

Some 1.335 million m2 of homes will be built for people in need of better housing. The construction of 1 million square meters of them will be subsidized by the government. The subsidies will be provided, among others, to the military who are registered as people in need of better housing at the location of military service; 87,260 m2 of subsidized housing will be built for families with disabled children, 163,500 m2 for orphans and children left without parental care. Almost 12,500 m2 of housing will be meant for agricultural workers, people working in the social and cultural spheres in rural communities.

There are plans to put 10,538 families with many children on the list of people in need of better housing, while 8,831 families will have their houses commissioned in 2021. Almost Br877.5 million will be allocated to fund this housing construction. Of this Br268.6 million will be people's own funds and nearly Br608.9 million - bank loans. Some 388 families will get subsidized housing.

Plans are in place to build almost 120,000 m2 of rental housing. Of this 94,470 m2 will be financed from the budget and almost 25,400m2 - by enterprises. A total of Br142.47 million will be allocated for this purpose.

Some 1,266 apartments and houses will be built in satellite towns. Banks will allocate Br34 million for this purpose.

A total of Br725.66 million will be spent to construct and reconstruct engineering and transport infrastructure.

The total amount of funds set aside for housing construction for 2021 stands at Br5.166 million, of which Br152 million will be budget funds, Br930 million – banks loans, Br3.34 billion – people's funds, Br741.55 million – enterprises' funds, including loans and foreign sources.

In line with the document, plans are in place to build at least 15% of the annual plan in Q1 2021, at least 35% in the first half of the year, and 65% in January-September. The resolution also provides for laying the groundwork for the housing construction program for 2022. Regional executive committees and the Minsk City Hall in association with the Architecture and Construction Ministry should ensure that all residential apartment buildings are designed, built, and commissioned according to energy-efficient standards. In addition, these agencies should take measures to monitor the costs of housing construction that is carried out with government support and is funded from the budget. They shall ensure the use of standard cost-effective housing projects, the list of which gas been approved by the Architecture and Construction Ministry.

The resolution comes into force on the day of its publishing and applies to relations that emerged as of 1 January 2021.