Ittigen BE – The total area of building zones in Switzerland remained nearly constant between 2012 and 2017. New building zones were permitted mainly for tourism and leisure activities. In contrast, density use in building zones intensified in all areas.
Statistics on building zones in Switzerland, which are based
on cantonal geo-data, are collected every five years. According to
the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), the latest survey measured
building zones with a total area of 232,038 hectares. At 46 per
cent, residential housing makes up the largest group. Work zones,
mixed-used zones, central zones and zones for public use each
account for between 11 and 14 per cent.
Compared to the last survey in 2012, the total area of these
five building zone types, which make up 93 per cent of all building
zones, remained nearly constant. The area of building zones
increased for the other main uses (restricted building zones,
tourism and leisure zones, traffic zones and other building zones)
by around 3,400 hectares.
These developments are in line with the government’s strategy
of limiting the expansion of settlement area and instead developing
settlements inwards. Between 2012 and 2017, the density use of
building zones increased by 7.9 per cent. The number of residents
in building zones likewise grew by 7.4 million to 8.0 million. This
corresponds to 291 square metres of building zone for every one
inhabitant. In 2012, this was 309 square metres.
