First-time buyers who are struggling to get a foot on the property ladder are set to benefit from plans to provide an additional 15,000 new homes for affordable sale by 2010.

However, a pilot project will build 250 homes and whilst these will be exclusively for first-time buyers, they will at the same time, improve the process for the 15,000 homes, thus befitting other first-time buyers.

English Partnerships’ ‘first-time buyers' initiative’ will provide new affordable homes exclusively for first-time buyers.  The pilot homes will be in addition to those funded for affordable home ownership through other government programmes.

Duncan Innes, the English Partnerships director responsible for the new initiative said, “The pilots represent a cross section of the type of developments we consider potentially suitable for funding under the full initiative, and by running them now we will be able to build on lessons learnt and offer our successful partners a more efficient start.  And that ultimately means the quickest and best deal for first-time buyers.”

The four pilot developments – which are already under construction and are expected to provide the first tranche of 250 new homes – are:

• Axiom, Feltham – Barratt Homes – up to 70 FTBI homes
• Beaufort Park, Hendon – St George – up to 50 FTBI homes
• Chimney Pot Park, Salford – Urban Splash - up to 91 FTBI homes
• Admiralty Quarter, Portsmouth – Crest Nicholson – Up to 36 FTBI homes

In July English Partnerships announced a £100m competition for private developers and registered social landlords to put forward schemes that could increase the level of affordable homes for first-time buyers as part of a countrywide scheme.   This initial budget, available over the next two years, has been earmarked to allow homes to be sold to first-time buyers.

Around 50% of the new homes will be reserved for key workers, with the remaining 50% being open to local people priced out of the property market, or considered in priority need by the Regional Housing Board.