Rise in commercial projects
Starts in the three months to October were 1% up on a year ago and unchanged on the preceding three months, according to latest Glenigan Index.
Residential starts were 10% lower than a year ago and 4% down on the preceding three months, while non-residential project starts were 18% higher than a year ago, with growth driven by increases in industrial, offices, retail hotel and leisure and health starts.
The value of work starting on site in the three months to October was 1% higher than a year ago; on a seasonally adjusted basis, starts were unchanged on the three months to July.
Project starts remain firm across the north of England, with the north west, north east and Yorkshire and the Humber seeing increases of 6%, 8% and 31% respectively.
At 44%, however, the West Midlands enjoyed the sharpest rise in starts. In contrast, the East Midlands, London, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland saw a weakening in starts with declines of 18%, 11%, 28%, 31% and 19% respectively.