The total volume of all new construction orders in the first quarter of 2012 is estimated to have grown by 4.6 per cent compared with the fourth quarter of 2011 according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

However, it is 3.6 per cent lower than the first quarter of 2011.

Large increases were seen quarter-on-quarter in private industrial new work and private commercial new work, which grew by 57.9 per cent and 27.8 per cent respectively. There were decreases in infrastructure new work (13.6 per cent) and private new housing (10.7 per cent).

-- Advertisement --

The volume of new orders for infrastructure is estimated to be 59.5 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2012 than in the same period one year earlier.

The volume of new orders for public new housing and public new work combined is estimated to be 41.3 per cent lower in the first quarter of 2012 than in the same period one year earlier.

(CD)