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The latest statistical figures released by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles suggest that the British construction industry is marching ahead in an attempt to cope with the very high demand for new housing and commercial buildings, a news report in the local media informs us. The statistics reveal starts on new homes in 2013 totalled 122,590, up by 23% on the previous year, while work on new homes in the last 3 months of 2013 was also up by 23% compared to the same period in 2012.

The output per hour worked in the UK fell 21 per cent bellow the average value for G7 economies, the lowest level since 1992, figures released by the Office for National Statistics would suggest. According to a news report on the matter, the productivity of UK workers is lowest when compared to that of their counterparts from the US, France and Germany. Nevertheless, British workers managed to produce 11 per cent more per hour than their Japanese counterparts.

Although the number of people in employment has soared over 2013, it seems that this trend is about to slow down over the coming months, a new report by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has revealed.

Employees will only get some visible, substantial pay rises should their productivity levels increase substantially, research published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggests. According to a media report on the matter, ever since January 20089, weekly earnings (excluding bonuses) have fallen by 8% when pegged against the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a measure of inflation, and by 10.2% if the Retail Price Index (RPI) was used.

The construction industry has recorded a very solid growth over the course of Q4, 2013, with companies of all sizes and operating across all areas, including building contractors, SMEs, specialist contractors, civil engineers and product manufacturers, reporting increased output, the latest Construction Trade Survey has revealed. As a news source in the business media reports, this is the first time in the past five years when three consecutive quarters of growth are recorded.

Construction firm Lovell is set to start construction work on a £4.8 million development comprising 50 affordable apartments for older residents in Wombwell, near Barnsley, a brand new media report has recently revealed. All of these new apartments are meant to be used by people aged over 55 and are are being developed by South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA).

Gallagher Estates, the promoters of the first 1,500 homes at the planned new town of Northstowe, set to be created to the north-west of Cambridge, have agreed to a £30m investment plan with the local councils for developing community facilities, a news report in the local media has revealed.

As the demand for new homes soars across the UK, the future of the construction sector has never been brighter, with close to 182,000 new jobs set to be created in this segment, according to new research published by the CITB. Figures obtained from the organization’s latest Construction Skills Network (CSN) forecast would suggest that housing will account for over a third (37%) of the UK’s total annual construction output between now and 2018.

Figures obtained from a recent report issued by the Office for National Statistics suggest that unemployment in the UK dropped by 167,000 to 2.32 million in the three months to November, the biggest quarterly fall since 1997.

Plans put forward by Londonewcastle and Royal London Asset Management (RLAM) for creating a high-quality, riverside residential-led mixed use development in Fulham have been approved by the LB Hammersmith & Fulham, a recent news report in the local business media has revealed.

Mivan, one of the biggest names in the UK construction sector, revealed last Friday that it was going into administration, with 100 workers from across the company being made redundant. David Ford, MLA for South Antrim, commented on this sad news: "This is a further devastating blow for employees of Mivan. My thoughts are with those who have lost their jobs today. Alliance will be monitoring the situation to ensure the correct level of support is on offer for them."

Construction heavyweight Morgan Sindall has managed to secure the contract for building the new £2.2 million chemotherapy and day treatment unit at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH), a brand new media report has recently revealed.