RICS UK Construction Market Survey, Q1 2014
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The private housing sector is driving a construction industry revival, although skills shortages threaten the pace of recovery, according to the latest RICS Construction Market Survey for Q1 2014.
The speed at which confidence is returning to the market is revealed by the fastest rate of growth in workloads since the Construction Market survey began in 1994 (net balance 43 percent), with improvement being driven by the private sector and, in particular, the commercial housing sector over the next 12 months. Most significantly, the effects are expected to be felt across the whole of the UK, rather than exclusively reserved to the London and South East hotspots. In the North of England, 44 percent of respondents reported rising workloads, up from 40 percent at the end of 2013.
Construction activity on the rise after weather-hit February
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A report released today reveals that construction activity rose to pre-Christmas levels last month, after a sharp drop in February due to the bad weather.
With the value of contracts awarded worth £5.2 billion in March - an increase of 7.2 per cent on the month before - experts are hopeful it will put the industry back on an upward trajectory with the value of new contracts rising by almost 25 per cent year-on-year.
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ISG wins coveted Queen’s Award for International Trade
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International construction services company, ISG has won a coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category in recognition of the company’s sustained success in overseas expansion.
As the UK’s most prestigious business accolades, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise highlight outstanding achievement in the fields of innovation, international trade and sustainable development. ISG successfully demonstrated to the judging panel that its strategic diversification into new growth markets and geographies across the globe deserved recognition at the very highest level.
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Can nature help restore harmony in our cities?
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Our cities are facing an uncertain future. Underground roads and automated transport, permeable pavements and water roofs, vertical farming and even glowing trees – from large-scale interventions to smaller scale enrichments, cities in the future will need to look vastly different to cities now.
Cities Alive – rethinking green infrastructure – shows how the creation of a linked ‘city ecosystem’ that encompasses parks and open spaces; urban trees, streets, squares; woodland and waterways can help create healthier, safer and more prosperous cities. To realise this vision, green infrastructure has to now take a more influential role in the planning and design of cities and urban environments.
British building confidence on the up, driven by house builders
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Britain’s builders are at their most confident since 2007 as the Government’s Help to Buy scheme swells optimism among construction firms. Following the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply’s latest findings, house builders are driving the industry forward and the rise in residential building is growing at one of the fastest rates since 2007.*
The Considerate Constructors Scheme has also noticed a boom in registrations, going up from an average of 528 per month in 2007 to 815 per month in 2014. Areas in the UK where marked registrations have increased include the Midlands and the South East.
Read more: British building confidence on the up, driven by house builders