Private construction workloads have continued to increase despite a further rise in skill shortages, according to the latest RICS UK Construction Market Survey.

A net balance of 37 per cent of respondents reported that workloads in the commercial sector in Scotland had grown during Q4 2014. Private housing remained steady with a net balance of 14 per cent reporting growth and public non-housing at 27 per cent, while a net balance of 22 per cent of respondents reported an increase in overall Scottish construction workloads across Scotland.

Looking at growth restraints, 49 per cent of respondents reported that skill shortages were impeding further sector growth, while the proportion of respondents reporting labour shortages across all of the main trades climbed to 53 per cent.

Despite these factors and anecdotal evidence that the upcoming UK election in May is creating industry uncertainty, confidence remains firm with 68 per cent more respondents expecting workloads to increase and 50 per cent more expecting employment to increase throughout Scotland. Across the UK Members anticipate growth in workloads of 3.4 per cent in 2015 with jobs in the sector expected to rise by a further 3 per cent.

Elsewhere, the infrastructure sector continued to see what has been a much steadier pace of growth over the last 12 months and in Q4 2014, 17 per cent more respondents reported a rise in workload activity.

Sarah Speirs, director RICS Scotland, said: “Labour shortages have become increasingly onerous in every area of the sector since the industry began to recover in mid-2013, with quantity surveyors in particularly short supply.

“Now that workloads are rising and optimism is growing across the UK, the practical challenges are in providing the skilled labour the industry needs and in alleviating the financial constraints, which saw nine months of decreased lending in 2014.