More houses were built in the first quarter of 2021 than in any quarter for over 20 years, according to government figures based on building control notifications.

The seasonally adjusted data, which the government estimates capture about 80% of the new build market, found that 49,470 homes were built between January and March in England, an increase of a fifth on the same quarter in 2020, and the highest figures since the data was first collected in 2000.

…