UK construction activity: November 2022

The consistent fall in construction-starts worsened during the three months to November as the fallout from the mini-budget and heightened material prices held back projects moving to site. High interest rates and inflation is likely to prevent a quick recovery in project-starts, but a strong development pipeline should help to turn the tide in 2023.

Averaging £7.74bn per month, work commencing onsite during the three months to November climbed 3 per cent against the preceding three months to stand 8 per cent higher than the previous year.

However, growth was purely due to major projects (£100m or more) which, averaging £2.64bn, were 53 per cent higher than the preceding three months and 62 per cent up on a year ago.

In contrast, underlying work starting onsite (less than £100m) continued to fall, with the value down 11 per cent against the preceding three-month period on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis and 7 per cent against the previous year to average £5.1bn.

Main contract awards performed poorly, falling 15 per cent during the three months to November to average £7.93bn.

The value also declined 14 per cent compared with the previous year. Underlying contract awards, averaging £5.89bn per month, weakened by a fifth compared with the preceding three months (SA) and a year ago.

Major project contract awards declined 15 per cent during the three-month period to average £2.04bn. Despite this, the value remained 10 per cent up on the previous year.

Detailed planning approvals, averaging £9.41bn per month, increased 6 per cent during the three months to November to stand 3 per cent up on a year ago.

While major project approvals, averaging £2.75bn per month, slipped back 3 per cent against the preceding three months, the value increased 35 per cent compared with a year ago.

Underlying approvals averaged £6.66bn per month, consistent with the preceding three-month period. Despite this, the value weakened 6 per cent compared with a year ago.

Glenigan – celebrating its 50th anniversary this year – is CN Intelligence’s partner for UK construction project data, market analysis and company intelligence.

Glenigan combines comprehensive information gathering with expert analysis to provide intelligence on all construction sectors, including private and social housing, education, health, hotel and leisure, industrial, infrastructure, offices, retail, and utilities, and across all regions of the UK and Ireland.