Featured Region: West Midlands

2013 saw strong 16% growth in the value of project starts, with the first half of the year seeing a rebound in new activity following weakness in 2012 when starts declined by 2%. This rate of growth returned the value of project starts above the 2007 peak.

Project starts then stalled in the second half of the year, but a continuing strong flow of planning approvals and an economic recovery comprising job creation and an increase in housing market activity should see growth maintained through 2014.

The West Midlands’ strong industrial base has seen strong growth in construction output relating to the industrial sector, in contrast to the wider UK that has seen a long term decline in industrial development accelerate since the recession. Strong growth in new project starts and, looking further ahead, planning approvals indicates that activity will rise further over 2014, as hopes strengthen of an economic recovery based on investment into capacity and increasing exports.

The West Midlands consists of the following Counties: Hereford & Worcester, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands.