Construction Output Drops In Q4

Construction output from October to December last year was down 5.8% on the same period in 2011, according to the latest Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) today published the statistics, which are a general measure of change in real terms in the output of the Construction Industry in Northern Ireland.

Despite the drop, the report found that the total volume of construction output in Northern Ireland in the fourth quarter of 2012 increased slightly by 0.5% compared to the third quarter.

This followed two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

The value of construction output in real prices in the fourth quarter was estimated to be £470m, 41.1% lower than the peak value in the second quarter of 2007 (£798m).

In the fourth quarter of 2012, there was a small increase in Repair & Maintenance work compared to the third quarter of the same year, while New Work stayed at the same level as the previous quarter.

The volumes of Housing Output, Infrastructure Output and Other Work broadly stayed at the same level as the previous quarter.

Great Britain also experienced positive growth during the fourth quarter, with overall construction output increasing by 0.9% compared to the previous quarter.

Construction output in Northern Ireland was slightly less than two-thirds (64%) of the average output reported for 2005.

In Great Britain, overall construction output was at 87% of the average output for 2005.

(IT/CD)