New orders fall in third quarter

New orders in the third quarter were 4% down on the second quarter of 2010.

The figures from The Office for National Statistics show that while the wider economy is showing signs of recovery, the construction industry is still mired in a recession that may only get worse as public spending cuts bite.

The only sectors of the industry to show growth were private housebuilding and private commercial building, the two sectors hardest hit in the past couple of years. They rise from a very low base and are still a long way short of the peaks of 2206 and 2007.

Housebuilding

The volume of private housing orders in the third quarter of 2010 rose by 49% compared with the previous quarter and rose by 86 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier. These are based on constant price seasonally adusted estimates. The equivalent non-seasonally adjusted growths were 31% and 94%. The volume of housing new orders is back to the levels last seen in the first quarter of 2008.

Public housing orders in the third quarter of 2010 fell by 22% compared with the previous quarter and also fell by 42% compared with the same period a year earlier.

Infrastructure

The volume of infrastructure orders in the third quarter of 2010 fell by 27% compared with the previous quarter and also fell by 56% compared with the same period a year earlier. This was the lowest volume of orders since the fourth quarter 2006.

Building

The value of private commercial orders in the third quarter of 2010 rose by 7% compared with the previous quarter and rose by 28% compared with the same period a year earlier. Orders are at the highest level since the fourth quarter of 2008.

Private industrial orders in the third quarter of 2010 fell by 11% compared with the previous quarter and fell by 16% compared with the same period a year earlier. 

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