The number of offices standing empty in the Netherlands rose 6% in 2013 and now amounts to 8.32 million m2.

This is 17% of the total floorage of offices, according to figures released on Tuesday by the real estate agents’ association NVM.

It is the seventh year in succession the demand for office space has declined, with the gap between supply and demand the biggest it has ever been, the NVM says.

The supply was diminished slightly with offices being re-allocated or demolished, taking 385,000 m2 off the market.