Accounting firm Deloitte said, construction activity in four regional cities in Britain is at a record high, including a flurry of building projects in Manchester, despite uncertainty about Brexit/

Deloitte said its Real Estate Crane Survey, covering Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and Belfast, showed sustained or increased activity across sectors including offices, hotels, retail, education and student housing.

"To have construction figures this healthy is somewhat of a surprise given a myriad of market uncertainties," Deloitte Real Estate partner and regional head Simon Bedford said.