The UK market for prefabricated buildings will grow 60% to £2.95bn by 2009, according to a report by market research group MSI.

The 120-page survey, Modular and Portable Buildings UK, says the UK market rose steadily by 6-7% a year between 2000 and 2003.

But MSI predicts that the annual rate of growth will increase from this year for the next five years, culminating in 14% growth in 2009.

Virtually all this growth will be in permanent buildings rather than relocatable ones such as site huts.

Currently, relocatable buildings account for 62% of the total market for prefabricated buildings, which is valued at £1.69bn. Most of these are hired out as site huts. Permanent prefabricated buildings are predicted to become more popular by 2007.

The most dramatic rise in the procurement of prefabricated buildings will be in the housing sector, where the market is expected to increase seven-fold to £274m by 2009.

The other sectors that MSI believe will increase in popularity are prefabricated building for military purposes, up 193%, schools, up 103%, prisons up 102% and healthcare facilities, up 69%.

The use of demountable site huts is expected to decrease because of the shift to off-site construction during this decade.