In the South, construction fell by 15 percent, to an annual rate of 551,000 units.

Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule.

Yet it came as a shock to many economists yesterday when the government reported that construction of new homes fell in January by 14.3 percent.

But nonresidential construction fell by 4.1 percent, dragging down the overall figure.

Home sales and new construction have fallen from their summer peaks.

For the first seven months of the year, construction has fallen 10.7 percent compared with the 1986 period.

And while new-home construction fell 0.4 percent, it remained at a high level.

Housing advocates say that at best, new construction will fall far short of the state's needs.

However, annual construction of new homes has fallen below 100,000.

Compared with the previous month, building construction fell by 0.6pc and civil engineering by 0.8pc.