Building activity in The Blue Mountains is showing a sharp decline this year.

The latest Building Department report from Chief Building Official David Finbow at Monday shows a substantial drop in activity this year.

The report illustrated that building statistics are down across the municipality. The decline in building activity in The Blue Mountains mirrors similar trends in other area municipalities. Only the Municipality of Meaford has shown an increase in building activity in 2008.

Finbow's report shows that the number of permits issued by the town through the end of July was down 30 per cent in 2008. A total of 250 permits have been issued this year, compared to 373 to this point in 2007.

Applications for building permits have also dropped 30 per cent from 438 in 2007 to 304 this year.

Building Department revenue is also down significantly. The municipality had collected $228,958 in building department revenue through July. The 2008 budget forecast a total revenue number of $859,600 for the entire year. The building department has revised the amount it expects to collect in 2008 to $475,000.

"The slowdown in activity is principally attributable to a decrease in resort/recreational accommodation and non-residential activity," Finbow said in his report.

Building activity in 2008 may be down significantly in 2008 as compared to 2007 and 2006, but the comparison might not be fair. It's likely that in the future those years may be viewed as record setting years for the municipality. The numbers in 2008 are ahead of construction numbers recorded in 2004 and 2005.

The numbers clearly show that 2006 and 2007 were above average years for the municipality.

In 2006 the municipality from January to July had applications for 436 permits. In 2007 that number was 438. A total of 395 permits were actually issued during that time frame in 2006 and 373 permits were issued in 2007. The number of permit applications in 2004, 2005 and 2008 were: 248, 282 and 304. Total permits for those years were: 216, 231 and 250.

Total construction value has decreased in 2008 by approximately $4.6 million during the first half of the year. Construction value for the year so far has been estimated at $33,026,554. At this point in 2007 value was at $37,631,446. Values were much higher in 2004, 2005 and 2006 due to some very large construction projects at Blue Mountain.

Members of town council did not discuss the report at Monday night's regular meeting.