A MAJOR scheme which will see £9.8million invested to help first time buyers climb the property ladder is due to get under way.

Earlier this year, Dudley Council bosses backed plans for 79 new homes to be built on four sites owned by the authority.

Of the 79 homes, 62 would be sold under the government’s new starter homes scheme, which allows first time buyers aged between 23 and 40 to buy their first home at 80 per cent of its market value.

The other 17 properties would be for general sale.

The sites include the former Mere Centre in Stourbridge, the former care home at Amblecote House on Brettell Lane, Turner House in Wrens Nest Road and the former St Thomas’ Network in Dudley.

Demolition work is now complete and a planning application for each scheme has been submitted.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of the council, said: “This is the first time the council has ventured into building homes for private sale.

“We’re really excited to seize the opportunity to support people who want to buy their first home, but are forced out of the market due to ever-increasing house prices.

"Through this project we will offer new affordable homes in areas we are confident people want to buy."

He continued: “This is an innovative move for the council, building on our experience and expertise and the breadth of knowledge we have gained through our programme to build new council homes.

“The West Midlands Combined Authority estimates 10 to 12,000 new homes are built every year across the region. We are significantly contributing to that figure here in Dudley, with hundreds of new homes being built each year within the private and social housing sector.

“The properties built through the starter home scheme will help boost the numbers of new homes in Dudley even further.”

By developing the land itself, it is estimated the project will generate £1.8million to invest into council services, approximately £500,000 more than if the land was sold to a private developer.

The project will be funded through prudential borrowing.

The council has already received £625,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency to fund the existing demolition of the buildings on these sites.