Shop construction at record low level

SHOPPING centre construction activity in the UK fell to its lowest level since 1995 in the first three months of 2011, with developers delaying project starts over concerns about the health of the global economy, research has showed.

Property consultancy CB Richard Ellis said 3m sq ft of shopping centre space was being built in the period to end-March 2011, less than a quarter of the peak of 13m sq ft in 2007.