Building downturn set to continue

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The downturn in construction in Northern Ireland is set to continue, it has been predicted.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors survey reveals a sharp decline in workloads during the first quarter of this year.

It also said there was a likelihood of further falls in construction activity during the next 12 months.

Of those who responded to the survey, 47% said their workloads fell in the first three months of 2009.

According to the RICS, this was one of the most negative figures in the survey's 25 year history.

Negative

However, the Northern Ireland figure was found to broadly mirror that for GB, where the net balance of surveyors reporting a decline in workloads was 45%.

Public housing workloads in Northern Ireland fell further into negative territory during the quarter, as did public non-housing and infrastructure workloads.

However, private housing workloads and private commercial and industrial workloads fell at a slightly slower pace.

RICS Northern Ireland chairman, John Davidson, said there were no major surprises in the survey.

"The significant pressure impacting on the construction industry during 2008 continues into this year and there is no indication that this will change over the course of the next 12 months," he said.