NW construction orders ‘hit four-year high’
The value of new construction work in the region has reached its highest level since mid-2009, according to industry data provider Barbour ABI.
The total value of construction projects in the region reached £1.69bn in Q2 of 2013, its highest level since Q3 2009, following more than a year of consistent quarter-on-quarter growth.
The North West Q2 tally was second highest out of 11 regions in the UK behind only London, which had a total new orders value of £2.97bn in the months April to June.
Projects listed in the second quarter included:
- Royal Liverpool University Hospital by Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen Hospital NHS Trust, valued at £335m
- Port Salford freight terminal western gateway project by the Peel Group, valued at £400m
- Bridge Street Quarter regeneration by Warrington Council, valued at £150m
Barbour ABI said 36% of new projects were in Greater Manchester and 26% in Merseyside. In public construction, the infrastructure and healthcare sectors performed strongly, while housing made up 39% of activity in the private sector.
Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: "In the past year we've seen a consistent increase in the value of new orders in the North West. This is positive news for the region and demonstrates that the area is following the nationwide trend of a slow but steady construction industry upturn.
"It's interesting to note that in the North West, the industrial, healthcare and infrastructure sectors are showing particular strength compared to how these sectors are performing elsewhere in the UK. In addition, major schemes in the pipeline – such as the Amazon distribution warehouse in Merseyside, valued at £100m – indicate that the region is a highly sought after warehousing location, reflecting its position as a gateway to other northern conurbations.
"Our data presents a rosy picture for construction in the North West and we'll watch with interest to see how the sectors within the region continue to perform in the coming months."
