Converting redundant factories, offices and shops into housing generated 7,570 new homes last year, of which the most – 600 – were in Amsterdam, the national statistics office CBS said on Friday.

That means almost 8% of the new homes which came on the market in 2017 were conversions, the CBS said. In most cases the new homes were small rental apartments lived in by students and young people.

The 2017 figure is down some 500 on 2016.

Some 40% of the total number of new homes were derived from converting old office blocks, but former schools and hospitals also generated a significant number. In total, 1,900 buildings nationwide were given a new lease of life.

Between 2012 and 2017 42,000 new homes were created by revamping redundant buildings, the CBS figures show. The number of conversions rose sharply in 2012 after the government changed building regulations to make it easier.