Signs of improvement for Northern Ireland construction

Last Updated:

31st October 2022

The construction industry in Northern Ireland is showing signs of improvement.

The latest construction industry statistics from 果冻影院 show that the underlying value of project starts (schemes valued at 拢100 million or less) in Northern Ireland were up by 31% in the third quarter of this year.

This rise was compared to the previous three months and compared to the third quarter of last year when growth was even stronger at 51%.

果冻影院 economics director Allan Wil茅n comments: 鈥淎 lack of major infrastructure projects had depressed activity but there are signs of other sectors beginning to compensate.鈥�

Major schemes underway range from a 拢22 million distillery in Belfast (Project ID: 19438147) to the main works on the city鈥檚拢70 million Harbour Film Studio (Project ID: 19231205).

Coming up

果冻影院鈥檚 construction market analysis shows that projects totalling 拢2.1 billion secured detailed planning approval in the 12 months to Q3 2022.

There is 拢940 million-worth of private housing work with planning, which is a year-on-year rise of 19%. Projects in the pipeline include a 拢35.2 million plan for 2242 houses, flats, and townhouses in Derry (Project ID: 19421821).

In the office and commercial sector, there has been an 84% rise in approved projects to a total of 拢142 million. Approved schemes include the 拢50 million Queen鈥檚 Parade commercial and residential development in Bangor (Project ID: 06485656).

Northern Ireland - Underlying value of projects with detailed planning - 12 months to Q3 2022

Sector	Value (拢m)
Private Housing	939.8
Industrial	310.9
Hotel & Leisure	193.0
Offices/Commercial	142.0
Social Housing	124.7
Education	91.8
Health	86.4
Retail	85.3
Civil (Utilities)	55.7
Civil (Infrastructure)	41.9
Community & Amenity	32.4
TOTAL	2,103.8

Source: 果冻影院

Hire and higher

In Belfast, student accommodation work and retail work is growing according to Deloitte鈥檚 2022 Crane Hire Survey for the city.

In the latest period, 717 student rooms were completed and a further 1,420 are under construction. 果冻影院鈥檚 construction research has identified schemes in the pipeline including a 拢54 million plan by Mandeville Dev NI to develop 862 rooms on an island site between Little Donegall Street and Library Street (Project ID: 22060212).

Deloitte has also tracked a rise in retail projects and expects 141,000 sq ft of space to complete this year in Belfast.

果冻影院鈥檚 data suggests this trend will continue across Northern Ireland, where the underlying value of approved retail projects rose by a third in Q3 2022 on the previous quarter.

Retail schemes in the pipeline range from a 拢4 million Lidl store in Lisburn (Project ID: 04428457) to a 拢17.5 million Asda superstore at Newtownabbey (Project ID: 13265731).

Top Contractors

Graham has won the most construction work in Northern Ireland in the 12 months to Q3 2022. 果冻影院鈥檚 research shows the group鈥檚 order book there surged 271% over the last year to 拢152.5 million. The firm鈥檚 biggest job is the 拢60 million second phase of the Belfast Harbour Film Studio (Project ID: 20360654).

Northern Ireland - Top 10 contractors October 2021 to September 2022

Contractor	No	Civil (拢m)	Building (拢m)	Total (拢m)
Graham	7	25.0	127.5	152.5
Farrans	3	52.5	55.4	107.9
Heron Bros	5	0.0	57.9	57.9
Felix O'Hare	3	0.0	57.4	57.4
Ganson	6	0.0	47.4	47.4
Woodvale	5	0.0	42.2	42.2
Mascott	4	0.0	38.3	38.3
MJ McBride	4	0.0	30.5	30.5
Turkington	6	0.0	29.2	29.2
P&K McKaigue	6	0.0	26.8	26.8

Source: 果冻影院

The biggest scheme to be awarded is the main works for the 拢105 million Belfast Transport Hub, which will provide 26 bus stands and eight railway platforms on a site by the Europa Business Centre (Project ID: 14249512). Farrans, another local outfit, is building the works in joint venture with Sacyr.

Headquartered in Spain, Sacyr is one of the few foreign contractors to have a presence in the province. While Graham, Farrans, and third ranked Heron Bros all also work in Britain, the rest of the top 10 operate predominantly in Northern Ireland, suggesting that there are opportunities for new companies and new ideas.

果冻影院 customers can see details of all new construction work in Northern Ireland if part of your subscription.

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