Scottish construction sector sees rise in projects

The construction sector is seeing a rise in new building projects, a survey has found.

It is hoped that the construction industry has turned a corner. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

A large decline in the sector “seemed to be turning a corner”, according to a poll by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics).

Since the start of the downturn in 2007 the number of construction project across Scotland has dropped and the sector has suffered, Rics said.

Activity now appears to be edging upwards, with 11% more surveyors reporting rises in workloads in the second quarter of the year compared with the same period 12 months ago.

A third more surveyors (33%) expect workloads to continue to rise, the survey suggests.

Just over a fifth more (22%) think job opportunities within the industry will rise in the next 12 months.

Sarah Speirs, director of Rics Scotland, said: “It is most definitely good news that the amount of construction taking place across the country seems to have turned a corner.

“Increasing numbers of homes, infrastructure projects, shops and offices can only be good for the wider economy.

“It is important however that we keep this in perspective. Construction across Scotland has been falling for quite some time and despite an increase in activity, there is still a long way to go and a number of financial barriers to remove before we can start talking about a full recovery.”