Planning approvals – the seeds of new housing supply in coming years – fell by 58.1% to 252,916 in 2008, according to the latest figures from Spain’s College of Architects.

This is the biggest ever fall on record.

Planning approvals for government-subsidised social housing rose by 3.6%. Stripping out social housing, planning approvals fell by 62.8% in 2008 compared to the year before.