[UPDATE: For the subsequent legislation relating to this consultation, please view this post.]
The government has published the following response to the consultation titled "Consultation on the design and delivery of First Homes" (which initially ran for 8 weeks from 07/02/2020 until 03/04/2020, and was extended by 4 weeks until 01/05/2020):
- August 2020: First Homes - Design and delivery - Summary of responses to the consultation and the Government’s response (pdf) (link).
Notes:
- The "Introduction" at the start of the above response document includes the following information:
- "Our Help to Buy: Equity Loan programme has already helped over 210,000 first-time buyers to purchase a home of their own. We want to build on this progress to support first-time buyers to buy a home in their local area for a 30% discount on the open market price. This will save first-time buyers around £100,000 on the price of an average new-build property in England.".
- "We also want to ensure that the discount will apply in perpetuity so that future buyers of the property, and the community as a whole, will be able to benefit. Every time a First Home is resold, the discount will be passed on to the next generation of homeowners.".
- "To maximise the number of First Homes, the scheme will be delivered through two routes within the planning system: through section 106 developer contributions and through an amendment to the policy on exception sites. The Government has published the ‘Planning for the Future’ [White Paper] consultation alongside this response which sets out plans to undertake a fundamental reform of the planning system. We are also consulting on proposals to improve the immediate effectiveness of the current system and support new development as the economy recovers from the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the shorter-term. This consultation sets out our proposed approach to delivering First Homes through the planning system as it currently stands.".
- "In the longer term, the Government’s reforms to the planning system to make it more accessible, digital, efficient and transparent will support the delivery of First Homes by bringing more land forward for development and with a new Infrastructure Levy, which covers affordable housing provision and could be used for on-site delivery of First Homes. However, because we want to bring forward First Homes and make them available to first-time buyers as quickly as possible, we will initially secure homes through the current system of section 106 planning obligations, before transitioning into a new approach.".
- "We will establish First Homes as a new tenure in the housing market with a 1,500 homes pilot delivered through the Affordable Homes Programme. We will be announcing more detail on the pilot shortly.".
- "We will work closely with developers, Local Authorities and other partners to make First Homes a reality so more first-time buyers can buy a home of their own.". - Note: The above "Introduction" refers to the following two current consultations. The consultation within the "Planning for the Future - White Paper" document covers longer-term measures (note: for more information, please view this post). The consultation within the "Changes to the current planning system - Consultation on changes to planning policy and regulations" document covers shorter-term measures (note: for more information, please view this post)
Other sources of information: