The UK construction market will grow at an average rate of 5.1% a year until 2012, according to research firm Global Insight
It also predicts that public sector investment will spearhead the UK's growth.

Global Insight forecasts that the world market will recover from a poor 2003, with an average growth of 5% to 2012. It says growth will be fuelled by the Asian market, with hot spots in India and China, growing at 9.2% and 7.9%. The report is based on a study of 55 markets throughout the world.

The latest DTI figures show construction output in the first quarter of this year was 9% higher than the same period last year, although construction work in the private industrial sector fell by 9%.

A report by Market & Business Development found that housing construction activity grew 17% in 2002.