Around £6 billion-worth of construction contracts were awarded in December 2013, a rise of more than 67 per cent on the same month last year.

Orders data collected by construction intelligence firm Barbour ABI paints a positive picture of an industry that has faced mixed fortunes in recent years.

In December 2012, just £3.6 billion in contracts were awarded, making the latest figures 67.1 per cent higher.

More than a third of the value – 36 per cent – came from infrastructure projects, with the signs indicating that this sector could continue to fuel growth throughout 2014.

Economists said the figures reflected an “exciting year for the construction industry, with a sustained period of growth to come.

"Residential construction remained strong throughout the latter half of 2013 and has truly spurred on the growth of the industry,” said Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI.

"The performance of infrastructure as a sub-sector is also incredibly encouraging,” he said.