8% drop in new buildings in Westmeath in 2010

Some 359 new residential and commercial buildings were identified in Westmeath in 2010, according to figures released today by GeoDirectory. This represents a year-on-year decrease of 8% compared to 2009 when 389 new buildings were recorded in the county.GeoDirectory, a subsidiary of An Post working with Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) manages Ireland's only complete database of residential and commercial buildings. The figures were recorded by 5,600 An Post delivery staff working with experts from OSi.Across the country, GeoDirectory recorded 17,587 new buildings, composed of 14,495 residential buildings, 2,137 commercial buildings, and 955 dual-purpose buildings with both residential and commercial components. The new additions in 2010 bring the total number of buildings in the Republic of Ireland to 1,878,824.TO READ MORE SEE THIS WEEK'S PAPER 22.1.11