FTSE eases from 11-month high as housebuilders retreat

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* Blue (OTC BB: BUES - news) -chip FTSE 100 index down 0.3 pct

* Housebuilders retreat after recent gains

* Poundland shares up 12 pct on M&A news

By Atul Prakash

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index edged lower on Wednesday after climbing to an 11-month high in the previous session, with housebuilders giving up some of their recent gains and energy shares dragged lower by weaker oil prices.

The FTSE real estate index fell nearly 1 percent after rising for four straight sessions. Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW.L - news) , Berkeley Group and Persimmon (Other OTC: PSMMF - news) fell 2.9 to 5.9 percent.

Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV.L - news) dropped 5 percent, also after Britain's biggest housebuilder said it might slow the pace of construction and rethink its land buying programme to prepare itself for an expected slowdown sparked by the Brexit vote.

"The market is concerned the house building sector could be in the firing line as a result of the Brexit vote, and while Barratt have plans in place to reduce risk, it's unlikely these could fully insulate the group from a nasty downturn," George Salmon, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown (LSE: HL.L - news) , said.

The UK oil & gas index fell 0.8 percent, tracking a fall in crude oil prices partly on forecasts from the U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . government and OPEC that demand would increase next year. Shares in both BP and Royal Dutch Shell (Xetra: A0ET6Q - news) were down around 1 percent.

The internationally-exposed FTSE 100 index was down 0.3 percent by 0800 GMT, while the mid-cap index, dominated by domestically-focused companies, fell 0.2 percent.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 is still up about 15 percent since its post-Brexit low on June 24 after the result came through that Britain had voted to quit the European Union. Mid-cap companies, which are more sensitive to domestic policies and economic conditions, are up 10 percent.

However, the FTSE 100 index, which is dominated by global companies, is up only 11 percent in U.S. dollar terms in that period due to the sharp fall in sterling on concerns that the Brexit vote could lead the country into recession.

On the positive side, shares in small-cap retailer Poundland surged more than 12 percent after South Africa's Steinhoff agreed to buy the British company for 597 million pound ($793 million) in cash.

"The recommended cash offer is a good result for Poundland shareholders and comes at a time when there was more downside risk than upside in our view. The cash offer of 222 pence is highly attractive and we would advise shareholders to accept," Liberum analysts said in a note.

Basic resources stocks were also in demand, with the UK mining index up 1.7 percent on the back of a rally in copper prices. Antofagasta (Other OTC: ANFGF - news) , Glencore (Xetra: A1JAGV - news) , Anglo American and BHP Billiton (NYSE: BBL - news) rose 1.9 to 3.9 percent. (Reporting by Atul Prakash)