A RISE in the number of building permits granted in France for the first time in the two and a half years is the "first sign of a recovery" in the housing market, the government says.
Almost 93,000 permis de construire were handed out in the first three months of 2010, up 6.8% from the same period last year.
The figure had been in constant decline since September 2007.
Housing Minister Benoist Apparu said the government's policy of "helping people build their way out of the crisis is beginning to bear fruit".
However he warned that it would still be several months before the number of construction projects started to rise again.
The Fédération des Promoteurs-Constructeurs says the government needs to do more to encourage the construction of new homes, such as extending interest-free loans.
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