Manchester homes under construction jump 30% as Belfast builds flatten

Major UK regional cities have defied economic and political concerns with strong residential-led construction growth.

Residential construction rose considerably in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham, and remained steady in Belfast. In Manchester, the largest market in the regional reports, there were 14,480 homes under construction in 2018 – up 30% from the year before, according to the latest Deloitte Crane Survey.

With a rise in city centre living meeting a growing desire from students to stay near their universities after graduation, demand for residential development has reached new highs in the regions.

But growth was not limited to residential development as office construction activity grew in all of the cities besides Birmingham.