Construction industry building momentum

Northern Ireland has recorded the highest level of output for the construction industry in three years. agendaNi finds out more.

Construction output in Northern Ireland has increased by 13.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, compared to the same period the previous year. This was the highest level of output reported for the industry in three years.

There was also a 6.5 per cent increase compared to the last quarter of 2014.

A rise of 6.5 per cent in new work and a similar rise in repair and maintenance, at 6.7 per cent, accounted for the overall output increase. In quarter four of 2014, repair and maintenance experienced a slight dip of 0.7 per cent.

Other work output experienced a sharp upturn of 18.7 per cent while in contrast, in quarter four, this had decreased by 2.8 per cent.

Infrastructure output rose again at 9.6 per cent for quarter one, a rise of 3.6 per cent was experienced the previous quarter.

Housing output decreased by 4.6 per cent. This was at odds with quarter four which saw a sharp increase of 8.5 per cent.

The level of construction output in Northern Ireland for quarter one was at 99.8 per cent of the average output reported in 2011. In Great Britain, overall construction output for the same period was at 103.2 per cent of the average reported four years ago.

Also in Great Britain, overall construction output for quarter one decreased slightly by 0.2 per cent compared to the previous quarter.