Three new mini estates could provide an affordable lifeline for first-time buyers in Preston.
Talks are under way to secure the sites – owned by the Community Gateway housing association – as part of a plan to help people buy their own homes.
The sites at Adelphi House, Deepdale House and Meadow House in the city centre have been targeted and each could house up to 20 homes, costing around £70,000 each.
Local businesswoman Cath Whelan and Coun Danny Gallagher have drawn up the plan which includes getting people into education or employment, securing the finance to help people buy the homes and getting them into affordable properties.
They will meet with government housing minister Caroline Flint in the next few weeks and have already met with landowners about the earmarked sites and spoken to major high street banks about securing lending services.
Mrs Whelan said that they were talking with landowners in other parts of the country and had already secured a plot of land on the Wirral, as they bid to roll the concept out nationally.
She said: "We want the first one to be in Preston, because we know what we have here, in volunteer groups, the health services, schools, colleges, we have it all here."
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