Flagship housing scheme hits the market in the north east

Families and key workers are set to benefit from First Homes, the new flagship government housing scheme being made available in Newton Aycliffe, Durham.

First Homes will support local people who are struggling to afford market prices in their area but want to stay in the communities where they live and work.

The Housing Secretary today visited the development in Newton Aycliffe which becomes the third early delivery project of the scheme following launches in Bolsover, Derbyshire and Cannock, Staffordshire.

The scheme offers homes at a discount of at least 30% compared to the market price.

That same percentage will then be passed on with the sale of the property to future first-time buyers, meaning homes will always be sold below market value – benefitting local families and key workers like NHS staff and forces veterans, for generations to come.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: “Enabling more people to own their home is central to the mission of this government, and First Homes will offer a realistic and affordable route into home ownership for even more people.

“It’s fantastic to be in Newton Aycliffe to see the new First Homes become available to local people here in the North-East. By offering the chance to buy a home at a 30% discount, we are giving local people, families and key workers like NHS staff and forces veterans, a route into home ownership where they already live.”

Further sites are set to launch across the country in the coming months. A further 1,500 will join the market through a government-funded pilot launched this year, with up to 60,000 First Homes projected to be built across England and Wales by 2029-30.