A 24% fall in residential construction project starts was a key factor in the overall 10% decline in construction project starts according to the latest Glenigan Index.

The data compares construction project starts for the three months to November to the same period a year ago.

"Private housing starts fell 13% but are forecast to stabilise over the coming months. However, social housing declined 38% year on year and further retrenchment is forecast here as the cut backs in Government funding bite," commented James Abraham, economist at Glenigan.

Non-Residential project starts were 13% down on a year ago as both privately and publicly funded projects were thin on the ground. "Education construction remains weak and the value of health and community & amenity projects declined for the first time in the second half of 2011. The only non-residential sector to avoid a decline was retail, buoyed by a number of large extension and refurbishment projects" said Abraham.

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Civil engineering project starts for the three months to November were 61% up on a year ago.

Mr Abraham said: "The flow of civil engineering projects can be volatile. Utilities saw a sharp increase with project starts including the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant and new wind turbine projects, while the infrastructure sector saw investments in road and rail station projects in London, the West Midlands and Scotland."

Commenting on the regional picture Mr Abraham said: "Wales, the South East and South West of England particularly enjoying an increased flow of new work while Scotland saw year on year growth of 10%. By contrast, over the three months to November the underlying value of project starts in Northern Ireland, the East and North West of England fell by more than 20% and Yorkshire continues to endure a poor flow of projects reaching start on site."

(CD)