Nearly 16,000 extra construction jobs are set to be created in Yorkshire over the next five years, according to new research.

The industry’s skills body CITB says the new employment opportunities will come on the back of demand for 245,000 new homes across the UK each year.

CITB’s Construction Skills Network is forecasting a 4.2 per cent rise in average public housing output in Yorkshire, along with a 4.1 per cent increase for private housing and per cent growth in the commercial property sector.

The report highlights £1.5 billion of regeneration projects in Bradford city centre and in Shipley town centre, including homes, offices and retail space – especially the under construction Westfield scheme – as being key drivers of construction growth.

CITB says 3,000 new employees will be required each year to fulfil projects and the region’s construction workforce will pass 190,000 in 2018 – up five per cent on 2013. Even so, output and employment will still be below pre-recession levels.

Steve Housden, CITB sector strategy manager in Yorkshire, said: “The CSN report shows that the economy is turning the corner and Yorkshire and the Humber’s construction industry will benefit from that.

“The Government’s ‘Help-to-Buy’ scheme has kick-started demand across the housing market and new infrastructure projects in Yorkshire and the Humber will help create jobs.

“However, growth needs to be sustainable, underpinned by long-term infrastructure projects and continued investment. It’s clarity and certainty of future projects that give employers the confidence to train and plan. We’d therefore welcome any new announcements on homebuilding projects in the area, and encourage employers to be ready for the opportunities coming to the region.”

The CSN report says regional developments set to provide the biggest boost to employment will include infrastructure work, set to rise by 22 per cent, private housing to be up by nine per cent and public housing with an eight per cent increase.

The regional forecast coincided with figures showing that Britain’s builders shrugged off last month’s record rainfall as construction growth returned to pre-financial crisis levels thanks to the fastest pace of housebuilding for more than a decade.

Figures from the closely-watched Markit/CIPS purchasing managers’ index showed the sector kicked off 2014 in robust form as output growth picked up pace strongly in January, to the highest level since August 2007.

Residential housebuilding was again the star performer with the steepest rise in activity since 2003 as government initiatives such as Help to Buy and cheaper access to mortgage finance kept revival firmly on track.

Housing Minister and Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said: “These strong figures confirm that, despite the appalling weather conditions, Britain has been busy building.”