Despite the annual increase, orders in the last three months have taken a downturn, with increases in public housing, infrastructure and public non-housing orders offset by decreases in private housing, private industrial and private commercial sectors.
Public housing and housing association orders increased by 45% in the last year,by while the last three months have seen them soar by 58% compared with the previous three months, and 65% compared with the same period last year.
The private commercial sector also saw strong growth, with orders 36% higher over the 12-month period. Orders in the three months to October 2006 were 20% lower compared with the previous three months but rose 27% compared with the same period a year earlier.
