Construction project starts increased 6 per cent year on year for the three months to October due to a 79 per cent growth in infrastructure and utilities project starts, according to the latest Glenigan Index.
Investments included road and rail station projects in the South West and the South East of England plus decommissioning of a nuclear power plant and new wind turbine projects. The growth is notable against a particularly low level of project starts a year ago across the construction industry.

Regionally the East, South East and South West of England saw the highest increases in project starts. With the North East and Wales seeing growth of over 10 per cent while London, the East Midlands and the North West fell by more than 10 per cent. Project starts in Scotland were also notably weak.

Non-residential construction project starts increased by 2 per cent year on year as the impacts of Government funding cuts were counteracted by growth in private sector construction. Office and industrial project starts increased significantly while education project starts remain weak. However residential construction project starts were 10 per cent down on a year ago, with Glenigan forecasting further retrenchment in social housing construction and stabilising private housing starts over the coming months.