Public housing and housing association orders grew by 14% in the year to January 2004 against a background of decreasing construction orders in general, according to the DTI.
Total new construction orders for the year fell 7% compared to the previous 12 month period.
Private housing instructions rose by 4% for the year and by 16% in the quarter to January, compared with the previous three months.
A decrease in orders was recorded in infrastructure, public non-housing (excluding infrastructure) and private commercial work, while private industrial instructions for the year rose by 4%.
