Compared to the first quarter of 2010, total new construction orders were down by 18%.
The numbers are likely to be challenged by industry organisations who believe that construction is now beginning to recover, albeit slowly and with difficulty.
According to the ONS, all sectors showed a fall in new orders in the first quarter compared with the fourth quarter
The value of infrastructure orders in the first quarter of 2011 fell by 48% compared with the previous quarter and by 45% compared with the same period a year earlier. All data are based on constant price seasonally adjusted estimates.
Private housing orders fell by 13% on the previous quarter but rose 16% compared with the same period last year.
Public housing orders were down 20% on the previous quarter and 17% on the same period last year.
Public non-housing orders (excluding infrastructure) fell 25% on the previous quarter, and were down 24% on the same period a year earlier.
Private commercial orders were down 13% compared with the previous quarter and by 11% on Q1 2010.
Private industrial orders were 12% down quarter-on-quarter and 3% down year-on-year.
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