According to the Office of National Statistics, total construction output across the region is up 15% or more than £600 million to more than £4.6 billion in the three months to August 2018 compared to the same period last year.

Overall construction output in Great Britain for this period is up 1.5% compared to the same period last year –meaning the North West’s increase is 10 times the national average

The value of construction work on new housing in the North West has increased by £386 million this quarter compared to the same quarter in 2017 and output of new infrastructure projects has also risen during this period.

The UK government’s Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry MP said: “It’s wonderful to see how the Northern Powerhouse is driving investment in the North West and helping grow the construction industry to the tune of over £600 million.

“Anyone visiting the North West can see the huge number of construction projects underway and these figures show just how valuable they are.

“This construction boom is helping build new homes, new infrastructure and a stronger economy in the region.”