Progress in recovery is frustratingly slow but steady as the construction industry finds its footing again
The Glenigan July 2025 Construction Review details a 6% rise in projects starting on-site from the preceding three months; however, main contract awards and planning approvals have seen a dip, seemingly contradicting the June Summer Forecast.
Main contract awards decreased by 24% from the same quarter in 2024, and by 32% from the preceding three months. Planning approvals decreased by 22% in the three months to June, representing a 3% year-on-year decline.
A long road to recovery
The results indicate that significant progress is still needed before the industry can be considered to have recovered, largely due to inconsistencies between underlying and major project performance.
Underlying activity (projects with a value under £100m) has seen a boost from the previous quarter, as starts on-site in the three months to June have jumped by 49%, and by 25% year-on-year.
Residential stood tall in this category, with a 76% increase in Quarter 2 and a 64% year-on-year increase. Non-residential verticals also saw a 21% rise from the previous three months, counteracting a 3% dip from the same period last year.
Meanwhile, major project (projects with a value above £100m) activity was largely responsible for keeping recovery suppressed, with starts on-site, contract awards, and planning approvals fall against both the preceding three months, and year-on-year.
This is attributed to slow economic growth and increased operational costs, which bring delays to private investment and public funding decisions, in turn affecting contract awards and planning approvals.
“Many will be disappointed that the recovery is not being achieved at the pace expected”
Glenigan’s economic director, Allan Wilen, said: “Whilst it’s fair to say that the underlying market, which makes up the majority of construction activity in the UK, is in pretty robust health, as evidenced in the last two Glenigan Indexes, recovery in the major projects stream is less stable.
“That’s why the figures published here are more subdued than those that appeared in Glenigan’s July Index, which only measures underlying activity. “Of course, there will be understandable concerns around major project performance.
“However, before the industry starts wringing its hands in despair, it’s important to remember we’re still only weeks out from a comprehensive Spending Review which has promised a significant amount of money to kickstart a wide variety of critical infrastructure projects. These will, it’s hoped, boost major project activity in the near and long-term, bringing it on an even footing with its underlying counterpart.
“Many will be disappointed that the recovery is not being achieved at the pace expected or desired, however, momentum is picking up, which our Economics Unit predicts will only increase in the second half of this year.”
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