Housebuilding output dipped in March for the second month in succession, according to the latest official statistics, adding to fears housebuilders are responding to growing economic pressure by beginning to rein in activity.

Construction output figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that seasonally adjusted housebuilding output fell back by 1.2% in March, after a marginal drop in February, with just under £3.7bn of work completed in the month.

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