Leeds, Bristol and Manchester are leading the way in UK construction growth, according to new research.
It’s estimated that the construction workforce in the UK will grow to 2.75 million in the next four years, with roles including office based, technical, and skilled trades all needed.
With demand on the rise, Astrak, a leading global supplier of undercarriage and wear parts for heavy machinery, created a construction hotspot index analysing which UK cities offer the best opportunities for construction workers. The ranking considered several factors including the number of construction job ads and jobs per 10,000 people, the number of planning application decisions and housing completions, and the number of construction businesses per capita.
Based on these criteria, the top five cities in the UK for construction workers are:
| Location | No. Of construction job adverts | Planning application decisions | Housing completions | No. Of construction businesses | Total score (lowest best) |
| Leeds | 1343 | 1017 | 4327 | 3760 | 12 |
| Bristol | 1707 | 608 | 1367 | 2160 | 18 |
| Manchester | 2309 | 520 | 2531 | 1895 | 20 |
| Edinburgh | 588 | 1008 | 2558 | 1675 | 22 |
| Birmingham | 2227 | 864 | 4546 | 3765 | 26 |
Leeds takes the top spot with a higher number of planning applications and completed houses per 10,000, as well as the highest number of construction businesses outside of London. With one of the highest numbers of job ads too, it’s clear that this city has no plans of slowing down any time soon.
Coming in second place is Bristol, an impressive feat considering its smaller population size. Construction workers here have plenty of choice, with 1,700+ jobs advertised at the time of this research and over 2,000 construction businesses to choose from.
Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham take up the remaining top five spots, revealing just how widespread opportunities are across the country.
Despite having 14,000+ construction job advertised, London came in at just 7th place. This is partly due to the population size, with construction jobs per 10,000 lower than other cities. However, the biggest disparity between London and other cities is the low level of planning application decisions made, with just 0.13 decisions made per 10,000 people. Rules on conservation and population density can make it harder to get approval for new sites in London.
James Coughlan, CMO at Astrak, commented on the findings: “Our analysis shows that the UK is creating opportunities for construction businesses and workers up and down the country.
“With growth expected over the coming years, a responsive and reliable supply chain is essential to keep projects on track. At Astrak, we are primed to support this boom, with extensive stock availability across the UK, ensuring construction firms have immediate access to the essential machinery parts needed to minimise downtime and keep Britain building.”
For more insights into the construction industry visit https://astrak.com/the-uk-construction-hotspots-revealed/
