11.08.15
New starter home £36m fund to support councils in housebuilding
The government has launched a £26m housebuilding fund to support councils in delivering high-quality properties for first-time buyers.
Communities secretary Greg Clark MP announced the fund as a boost to the government’s starter home initiative, which aims to help buyers under 40 buy their first home with a 20% discount off the market price.
The fund hopes to support housebuilders in creating a diverse range of starter homes to showcase the different types of properties aspiring homeowners can come to expect from the scheme.
The money will be used to buy brownfield sites, with money from the sales of these sites going back to the government.
A further £10m will also be made available for local authorities to prepare more brownfield land for the development of additional starter homes.
It serves to contribute to the Conservative pledge to deliver 200,000 start homes in the next four years.
Alongside councils, the fund will also support housing associations, developers, architects and small builders to build houses with a high design standard.
Clark said: “This competitive fund will build homes that will clearly show the wide range of new properties that will be available for first-time buyers as they take their first step on the housing ladder.
“We are also helping bring back into use more brownfield land for development, keeping the country building and delivering the homes our communities need.”
The government’s new Housing Bill and changes to the national planning policy introduce reforms targeting the release of underused brownfield land, as well as requiring councils to plan proactively for the delivery of starter homes.