April saw a monthly growth in construction output by 0.9%, after a 0.5% growth in March
Of the nine sectors in the ONS stats April 2025, six of them saw growth.
In the three months to April 2025, output grew by 0.5%.
New work a key sector for growth
New Work contributed to the overall monthly output growth by growing 1.4%, with repair and maintenance helping with a 0.3% growth.
Infrastructure new work and private housing repair and maintenance grew by 2% and 1.5%, respectively, while in the three months, new work grew by 0.9% and repair and maintenance grew by 0.1%
The ONS stats April 2025 can be read in full here.
In May, the ONS released statistics for the first quarter of 2025, showing a flat line for growth as the growth in new work of 0.9% was offset by the fall in repair and maintenance of 1.2%.
Despite this flat line, some large jumps were made with a 26.6% growth in new orders, representing £2.447bn up from the previous quarter.
From this report, the sector remains positive, with Clive Docwra, managing director of property and construction consultancy McBains, saying: “With March’s increase in output coming off the back of moderate growth in February, this will give further cheer to the construction industry, especially with the increase in new work in housing and infrastructure.
“However, it’s too early to say if the sector has turned a corner in terms of growth being maintained. Caution amongst investors is still apparent in a number of sectors due to the current geopolitical climate and the UK economic outlook – and bear in mind that this return covers the period before President Trump’s tariffs were announced, which shook investors’ confidence.”
“Policy ambition alone is not enough”
Neil Leitch, managing director of development finance at Hampshire Trust Bank: “Another month of growth in private housing is an encouraging sign of resilience in the market. Developers are finding ways to move forward despite challenging conditions, but we cannot ignore the biggest hurdle they face: the planning system. Painfully long waits for approvals are still holding back the delivery of much-needed homes.
“The government’s recent proposals to streamline the system for SME developers are a welcome signal, and it is positive to see the issues raised by the industry starting to gain traction. But we have to be clear-eyed about what this will achieve in practice. Without serious and sustained investment in local planning departments, the system simply lacks the capacity to deliver faster outcomes.
“Policy ambition alone is not enough. Developers are dealing with an unpredictable system where delays can derail project timelines, add cost pressures and affect funding viability. Until those practical realities are addressed on the ground, it will remain an uphill battle to get anywhere close to the government’s long-standing ambition of building 300,000 new homes per year.”
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