The Department of Municipalities and Transport approved approximately 20.8 million square metres of total gross floor area during the first quarter of 2026, recording growth of 17.3% compared with the same period in 2025. The figure confirms a growing trend among developers towards launching larger and more ambitious projects in Abu Dhabi's urban development market.
The number of new building permit applications rose to 5,096, representing annual growth of 14.0%, reflecting increased developer appetite for launching new projects. This was accompanied by a rise in the number of work-commencement notices — issued when construction begins — which reached 3,244, an increase of 14.3%.
The department also recorded a 24.5% rise in inspection requests, which reached 34,391, an indicator of growing levels of construction and building activity at project sites across the emirate. Engineer Abdullah Mohammed Al Blooshi, Director General of the Urban Planning and Licensing Centre at the department, said: