The Construction Products Association (CPA) has warned that the worse is "far from over" for the property sector, as orders for projects are still lagging at record low levels.

Speaking at the CPA's annual lunch event at The Dorchester in London, the association's chair, Adrian Barden, criticised the government for its "failure to respond positively to the industry" and to engage meaningfully at a time when "jobs were being lost and work drying up".

"The industry is facing its worst decline on record and despite what the Chancellor may believe about the economy as a whole we don't see any serious sign of recovery in the construction industry until the second half of 2011." he said.

"Orders for new construction work are down 32 per cent and output is down almost 50 per cent."

Speaking to more than 400 delegates, Barden called on the government to appoint a senior person in the Treasury to monitor all public sector construction programmes.

Barden added that a monitor would enable projects to stay on target and, if a problem arises, the government would be able to divert funds to bring forward other essential projects more rapidly.