The Planning Manager for Hanover says it was an average year for construction in the municipality.

Jeremy Neufeld reports there were 374 permits pulled worth $57 million in 2018. By comparison, there were 364 permits for $49 million in 2017.

On the residential side, there were 136 new housing starts totalling $34 million in 2018, compared to 145 permits worth $32 million a year earlier.

Of the 136 new housing starts, only 45 were for the rural area, totalling 33 per cent.

"That is by far the lowest that we've seen," says Neufeld. "So we're seeing more of a trend into the urban centres."

Of the remaining permits, Mitchell had 46, Kleefeld saw 28, in Blumenort there were 12, New Bothwell had 4 and Grunthal saw only 1.

Looking ahead to 2019, Neufeld says they are working on a project in Mitchell that will be the first of its kind in Hanover. He adds there are plenty of available lots in Blumenort, New Bothwell and Kleefeld. Meanwhile, Grunthal right now has a shortage of lots.

"Council has been discussing some of the infrastructure challenges in the community," says Neufeld. "Trying to work with developers to see what can be done to try and spur on some development within that community."