Revenue slipped back 4% to £65m and pre-tax profit fell to £1.9m from £2.5m previously.

Despite the macroeconomic backdrop and challenging market conditions chief executive Mark Cutler said there were signs of improvement in the housing market and energy and water sectors.

He added that several delayed projects in London and the South East were expected to proceed this year once the Building Safety Act approval delays were unblocked.

Looking ahead Cutler said Van Elle’s order book up was up nearly a quarter to £43m at December 2024 (£35m at April 2024), excluding framework agreements and preferred bidder positions.

He said: “The group has faced another challenging period, however, it has continued to make significant strategic progress, positioning Van Elle in attractive end markets and strengthening its core offering to deliver for clients.

“We have been focussed on driving operational efficiencies and have a right-sized cost base, appropriate to the current levels of demand.”

Cutler said: “The acquisition of Albion Drilling has accelerated our expansion into both Scotland and the energy sector and broadened our specialist capabilities, while Specialist Piling activity levels notably increased in the period.

“The group as a whole has continued to secure a solid pipeline of future work, including several targeted key contract wins.

“Alongside the increase in volumes experienced in our Housing Division, our other key markets are expected to continue improving over the coming months, and coupled with a strong order book, we remain confident in delivering a full year performance in line with market expectations.”