Martin Ford 05 November 2019

No starter homes have been built yet, investigation finds

None of the Government’s planned ‘starter homes’ have yet been built as legislation has not been implemented, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found.

The Government pledged in 2014 to build 200,000 ‘starter homes’, to be sold at a 20% discount to first-time buyers aged under 40.

In 2015, £2.3bn was allocated to deliver the first 60,000, with £174m being spent by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

However, not one starter home has been completed and much of the budget has been reallocated to other housing funds, the NAO investigation has concluded.

To date, 19 grants worth almost £6.5m have been awarded to 15 local authorities to prepare brownfield land, which will generate 444 new homes, of which 374 are expected to be affordable.

Homes England spent £15.4m of the £26m on offer from the Government to prepare brownfield land and is forecasting that it will generate 379 new homes, of which 98 will be affordable.

MHCLG has also used £151m to acquire and remediate land to be sold to developers and expects to receive £137.2m from the onward sale.

It predicts the spending will create 1,268 affordable homes and 3,907 market homes – but the NAO said they cannot be marketed as starter homes without the necessary secondary legislation in place.

The NAO’s report said that while some developers had marketed discounted properties as ‘starter homes’, they do not necessarily meet the criteria to be classed as starter homes as defined in the legislation yet to come into force.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Adult Social Worker Mental Health

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£38,976 - £52,767
Mental Health Social Worker
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Director of Finance (Deputy Section 151 Officer)

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council
up to salary max £121,445 per annum
We are now seeking a Director of Finance and Deputy Section 151 Officer to play a pivotal role Hybrid / Kingston Upon Thames
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council

Principal Engineer - Adoptions

West Northamptonshire Council
£49,587 - £52,860
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Highways Engineer to join our Highways Development Management team at West Northamptonshire Council. This is a senior role leading on the assessment, negotiation, and delivery of highway works linked t Northampton
Recuriter: West Northamptonshire Council

Head of Highway Operations

Derbyshire County Council
Grade 15 £63,002 - £69,103 per annum
As we begin to implement our new structure, we have an exciting leadership opportunity as the head of our new operations service. Derbyshire
Recuriter: Derbyshire County Council

Trainee Roadworker Driver

Derbyshire County Council
Grade 5 £25,185 - £25,583 per annum
We’re looking for Roadworker/trainee LGV drivers to be part of our team undertaking all aspects of highways maintenance and improvement works Derbyshire
Recuriter: Derbyshire County Council
Linkedin Banner