Research from the Royal Mail revealed the number of planned building developments in the UK rose by 34% between April and May of this year and June’s figures show a further increase and a 37% rise year on year.
The Royal Mail said the improvement in these numbers indicates a turning point for the construction industry, after a consistent drop in developments over the last two years. There was a 25%year on year fall in the number of postcode registrations between June 2007 and 2008, and a 55% fall between June 2008 and 2009.
Numbers are consistently positive across the UK, with East Anglia in particular showing a significant increase. New building developments in this area have doubled year on year, with 2,058 registered in June 2010 compared to 1,002 in 2009.
Steve Rooney, acting head of the address management unit, Royal Mail said: “Our postcode database holds the details of all proposed and current delivery addresses in the UK, and also provides a comprehensive view of the trends in building developments.
“The latest figures indicate a positive trend in the construction industry at the start of the current financial year.”
Nick Hardy from TSH Architects added: “We’ve certainly seen a notable rise in enquiries over the past couple of months, and this is currently showing no signs of slowing down.
“Looking at the latest Royal Mail figures, this upturn seems to be taking place throughout the UK rather than focusing on London, which is very positive news for everyone involved in the construction industry.”
