New housing starts through the first nine months are slightly behind last year's pace in the Rural Municipality of Hanover.

Planning Manager Jeremy Neufeld says from January 1st to September 30th there were 98 permits pulled worth $27.1 million. Compare that to 105 permits for $25.1 million during the same period a year ago.

Most new homes this year are going up in Mitchell. There have been 31 permits taken out in that community this year, 25 in Kleefeld, 10 in Blumenort, 3 in New Bothwell and 1 in Grunthal.

"Grunthal has a lack of available lots right now," says Neufeld. "There are some challenges regarding some infrastructure improvements and costs associated with that in getting some more development going."

Neufeld says this is a challenge that community is facing and is something they hope can be addressed in the future.

He notes an interesting stat this year is that only 29 per cent of new housing starts is in the rural area.

As for total permits, there were 309 taken out worth $47.6 million in the first three-quarters of 2018. That is ahead of last year's pace of 293 permits for $38 million.