PEOPLE aged 23 to 40 across Somerset are set to benefit from a new housing scheme which will see thousands of discounted starter homes for first-time buyers.

Taunton Deane, West Somerset Council, Sedgemoor District Council and South Somerset Council will see the first phase of starter homes being built on brownfield sites this year.

There are 30 local authority sites around England earmarked for the development says housing minister Gavin Barwell.

However Labour said building the new homes was three years overdue and warned that they would be unaffordable for many young people.

The houses will be available exclusively to first-time buyers aged between 23 and 40 at a discount of at least 20 per cent below market value, with a cap of £450,000 in London and £250,000 outside.

It is understood that the new starter homes will form part of the Government's target to build 400,000 new affordable homes.

Mr Barwell said: "This Government is committed to building starter homes to help young first-time buyers get on the housing ladder.

"This first wave of partnerships shows the strong local interest to build thousands of starter homes on hundreds of brownfield sites in the coming years.

"One in three councils has expressed an interest to work with us so far."

The first 30 local authorities have been selected on the basis of their potential to build the homes quickly and the partnerships have been established under the Government's £1.2 billion Starter Homes Land Fund.

It is hoped the new developments will support wider growth and regeneration, including in some town centres.

The first areas will begin construction later this year along with sites supported by the Homes and Communities Agency.

But shadow housing secretary John Healey said: "These so-called 'starter homes' are a symbol of the Conservative record on housing.

"Ministers launched them in 2014 but will only start to build the first in 2017, promised they'd be affordable for young people when they'll cost up to £450,000, and pledged to build 200,000 by 2020 but no-one now believes that's possible."

Shelter's director of communications, policy and campaigns Roger Harding said: "Efforts to build more homes are welcome but these starter homes are only likely to benefit people who are better off and already close to buying.

"Sadly they will do little to help the many millions of people on middle and low incomes who need somewhere genuinely affordable to buy or rent long term."

The Local Government Association (LGA) called for councils to be given discretion on how many starter homes are needed in new developments to ensure enough homes to both buy and rent are available at affordable prices.

LGA housing spokesman Martin Tett said: "If we are to stand any chance of solving our housing crisis, it must recognise that a renaissance in housebuilding is essential to ensure more of the genuinely affordable homes that our communities desperately need are built."