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Construction output fell again in the three months to February thanks to a significant dip in repair and maintenance work, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures.

The industry-wide output fall of 0.8% in the three months to February was largely driven by a collapse in the repair and maintenance sector, where output fell by 2.6%.

The ONS said the big decline in repair work was partially offset by growth in both infrastructure and housebuilding.

But while infrastructure output grew across the three-month period, it fell away significantly in the month-on-month series, with infrastructure new work contracting by 9.4% in February.

Construction output as a whole decreased in the month-on-month series, shrinking by 1.6%.

The ONS said the icy weather brought by the 鈥橞east from the East鈥� would have influenced February output, but said the degree to which it was a factor could not be measured.

Mark Robinson, chief executive of Scape Group, said the contraction in total new work and repair and maintenance was troubling, while the need for country鈥檚 infrastructure and services to be upgraded should not be underestimated.

鈥淲ith only 12 months remaining in our Brexit negotiations, it is vital that the UK鈥檚 assets and infrastructure are fit for purpose, attract inward investment and create a strong independent economy.鈥�

Robinson said it was also important to reverse the decline in new work, 鈥渆specially for the public sector where demand for services is only going to increase鈥�.

And Blane Perrotton, managing director of property consultancy and surveyors Naismiths, said only so much of February鈥檚 slowdown could be explained away by the icy weather.

鈥淒espite the modest upward revision to January鈥檚 figures, the message from the first two months of the year is clear 鈥� activity is slowing and the brief burst of momentum seen at the end of 2017 is now all but forgotten.鈥�