CONFIDENCE in the construction industry about work for the next year is falling significantly, according to a Commerce and Employment Department report.

Compiled in January, it provides a snapshot of demand in the sector and shows fears for the future as economic conditions bite.

Businesses were asked to estimate their future workloads.

‘Confidence in maintaining the current workload falls away as time progresses, so there is significantly less confidence in the 12- to 18-month period,’ the report said. It added that long-term predictions of future activity were hard to make in the construction industry, especially for building contractors.

‘Nevertheless, it is apparent from the reported results that there is increasingly less confidence further into the future, particularly beyond 12 months.’

Key players from different industry sectors were interviewed and developers all considered there were difficult times ahead.

‘The current economic climate has meant that a number of projects are being reassessed for their viability,’ the report said.