City council praises developers for starting work on two £40m-plus projects

Work on construction sites in Plymouth is beginning to move again, signalling a recovery for the city’s construction industry following the recession, according to planning officers.

Builders have begun work on a £46.5m Life Centre project in the heart of the city and work has also started on a £89m, 31-storey tower.

Paul Barnard, Plymouth City Council's assistant director of development for planning services, said: "The credit should go to the developers, who are making brave decisions in what is still a fragile market.

"I don't think we can be complacent, but their confidence is improving and they're confident the economy is beginning to turn.”

George Wimpey's regional managing director Colin Palmer added: "Sales at our Plymouth developments have been steady, but of course the economy has had an impact. I certainly feel there's a little more confidence in the air now, and there are some exciting opportunities for the future."