Construction’s leading data specialists Barbour ABI says new construction contracts awarded in Scotland totals around £1bn in September, making Scotland the second biggest region in the UK for construction behind London.



There had been a raft of major healthcare and infrastructure development projects which had increased the average contract value.



Across the UK, the value of construction contracts awarded rose to £5.6bn, an increase of 5.8 per cent. Scotland accounted for 21% of the UK’s September construction total behind London’s 24%, which when view as spend per population, the 5.33 million Scots have overtaken the 8.31 million Londoners.



Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said the figures represented “yet more good news” for Scotland’s construction sector.



Dall went on to say: “Contributing to this growth is a number of big ticket projects awarded in Scotland last month, including a new bypass to the west of Aberdeen worth £400m, a £300m onshore wind farm based in the Highlands and a new 350-bed hospital at ­Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary valued at £200m,”



“Looking ahead, Scotland should continue to benefit from construction activity in these sectors, with nearly £10bn committed to health and social care investment in the National Infrastructure Plan 2012, as well as £730m set aside for vital transport infrastructure projects.”