The building business is booming in Penhold while Innisfail is off to a steady start when it comes to building permits issued so far in 2012.
Innisfail had issued four permits to the end of February, a comparable number to three permits issued during the same time period in 2011.
Elwin Wiens, the development officer for Innisfail, said January and February are “traditionally quiet months” for permits. Of the four permits issued so far, one was for a new home, one was an industrial building permit and two were for renovations.
“We haven't really heard anything major coming in,” Wiens said of upcoming developments for Innisfail.
Penhold, however, is on pace to smash through last year's record $10.2 million in permits issued. As of March 30, $4.3 million in building permits had been issued.
Penhold's development officer, Tricia Willis, said 2011 was a record-setting year for the town. The previous record was about $10 million in 1997. She said this year's already on track to beat 2011.
Numbers as of the end of February showed 22 permits issued, with a total of 15 new units included in that. Willis said since then another six new homes and one new duplex have been added to those totals during March.
At the end of March last year $2.1 million in development permits had been issued.
The $4.3 million total so far this year does not include the upcoming development permit for the new school, which Willis anticipated would add several million dollars to the total.
Willis was not sure why the town is booming but suggested it could have to do with less lots being available in Red Deer or the lower cost of lots in Penhold when compared to Red Deer despite its proximity to the city.
Most of the development so far this year is new homes and not commercial or industrial development.
“The majority of all of our development is all new homes,” Willis said.
