Construction boom for Scotland as projects in rest of the UK slow

SCOTLAND is experiencing a construction boom at a time when the rest of the UK is slowing down, according to a new report.

The analysis from data specialists Barbour ABI and the Construction Products Association reveals that contract awards in Scotland leapt by 32% to £6.8 billion in 2023, whilst both the south east and London recorded double digit falls.

Outside of Scotland, only the east of England (7.9%) and Yorkshire (0.8%) saw rises – and the average overall, nationwide, was down 0.8%.

Ed Griffiths, head of business and client analytics at Barbour ABI, said, “We have seen a huge amount of investment pouring into Scotland, much of it centred around the drive to embrace green energy.

“Billions of pounds are being spent on wind farms, solar energy and battery storage systems and that is on top of the thousands of new units in the residential sector.

“While the South East and London are by far and away still the engine room when it comes to construction, both recording far bigger proportions of investment spend than other UK regions, this analysis shows Scotland recording significant growth.”

The report noted that, though a small contributor overall, the Scottish borders recorded the highest growth in the UK – with a massive 374.3%.

Among the biggest green energy projects fuelling Scotland’s boom are:

Infrastructure  

Residential