First Time Buyer February/March 2025

NEW HOMES WEEK

spaces, community cafes, and nature- friendly initiatives that don’t just bring people together but birds and bugs too. The infrastructure available on new developments provides a chance to connect with others who are on the same journey of making one of life’s biggest purchases. In fact, many new homeowners report a strong sense of community on their development as friendly neighbours seem eager to connect and share as they settle into their new surroundings. Plus, with a higher proportion of new builds bought by first time buyers, you’re likely to meet others starting their homeownership journey and embracing an exciting new chapter in life. SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Many of us are unaware of the significant investment made by home builders within the communities where development takes place, despite new and existing residents benefiting from it. So, it’s perhaps unsurprising that it can be popular to be unsupportive of development. In fact, the biggest block to new homes being delivered over the last few years has been NIMBYism – that’s Not In My Back Yard – which is often justified not as opposition to the homes themselves, but that the local community cannot cope with the increase in population. It is why it is so important that local authorities invest the money that developers provide as part of the planning agreement quickly and effectively in the local area. NIMBYism will always exist to some extent, but some opposition could be won over if local people were more aware of the economic and social benefits that new homes bring. This would help to ensure that more homes are built more quickly, in turn helping to meet the demand for housing and support more people to achieve their dream of homeownership. Home builders are passionate about the communities they provide. We are encouraging the Government to take steps to make it clear when and why infrastructure funded by developer contributions is being delivered, so that communities can understand and make the most of the facilities being funded by

boosting local economies up and down the country, but also to generate billions of pounds worth of investment in our infrastructure and in our communities.

the new homes being built around them. With the Government putting increasing housing supply as one of its top policy priorities, there is an opportunity not just to provide more desperately needed homes, and in the process creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs and

For more information and guidance on buying a new build home, visit newhomesweek.co.uk

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