Even small and medium-sized businesses, hardest hit by the downturn, reported their first rise in activity since 2007. Private housing was one of the key contributors to the improving workloads, together with a 'catch-up' across many sectors following a poor first three months of 2013, when adverse weather significantly affected output.
Industry prospects are also showing signs of improvement, with manufacturers, specialists, civil engineers, and SME contractors all reporting more orders for future work.
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Commenting on the survey, Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, said: "Construction growth in Q2 is encouraging. As house building – boosted by Help to Buy until 2016 – is a key driver, this growth should be sustained. We must recognise, however, that this growth builds on Q1's historically low level when output was its worst since 2001.
"Forecasts from the Association anticipate that construction output will rise 2.2% in 2014 and a further 4.5% in 2015, driven by both private housing and infrastructure. To ensure growth in infrastructure, it is essential that all the announcements we have heard over the past three years actually turn into activity on the ground. This has not happened so far, as infrastructure output fell 13% last year."
Julia Evans, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders added: "The return of confidence and the fruits of some government schemes are beginning to show measurable results. However, we must not take our eye off the ball as a sustained recovery needs a continuing, sustainable level of investment. While, as an industry, we do not expect to return to pre-2008 levels of activity, it is important to ensure that investment continues – particularly the investment that is dependent on future spending cuts."
(CD/JP)
