WALES accounted for nearly half of the total value of hotel, leisure and sport construction contracts awarded in October largely due to the £315million Circuit of Wales motor track development in Ebbw Vale, according to new figures.

Barbour ABI, which is a chosen provider of construction data to the Office for National Statistics and the government, published its latest Economic and Construction Market Review yesterday revealing the value of hotel, leisure and sport contracts awarded in Wales totalled £331million in October, accounting for 43.8 per cent of the total UK-wide.

This is largely due to the Circuit of Wales track, located in Rassau, passing through the final planning stages in October.

The project will finally commence construction in the New Year with developers aiming for it to be ready to host the British MotoGP round in 2016. It has been subject to criticisms from environmental groups and has suffered delays in its development as a result.

Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: “Wales was leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else for hotel, leisure and sport construction in October, which is no surprise considering the significant value of the Circuit of Wales contract.

“There were three other leisure projects awarded in Wales last month, including the £6.2million STAR Community Hub in Cardiff, the redevelopment of Prestatyn Nova Centre worth £3.6million and a new gym on Stuart Close in Cardiff valued at £550,000.

“Due to the Circuit of Wales contract, the arenas and stadia category is the main project in the sector this month accounting for 66 per cent of the total value of contracts.”

The Economic and Construction Market Review is a monthly report on UK construction industry performance.

It was announced earlier this year that the Circuit of Wales had signed a five-year contract with the option for a further five year extension with Dorna, the MotoGP’s commercial rights holders. The circuit is expected to attract an estimated 750,000 visitors a year, and is hoped to generate up to 6,000 jobs.