Ministers are racing against the clock to get the starter homes initiative written in law as part of the Housing and Planning Bill.
The bill, which is currently moving back and forth between the House of Lords and the House of Commons, has faced repeated challenges from peers over concerns the starter homes policy will lead to a reduction in genuinely affordable homes.
This week the Lords backed an amendment to the bill which would allow local authorities to decide whether they include starter homes or other forms of affordable housing in schemes.
The vote was passed by a majority of 272 to 212, despite objections from Baroness Williams that the amendment would prevent the government from meeting its commitment to build 200,000 starter homes by 2020.
The Lords also voted in favour of a separate amendment tabled by Lord Kerslake to ensure local authorities can choose the tenure type when building one-for-one replacements.
Some had wanted guarantees that high-value properties sold by councils to fund government plans to extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants would be replaced by affordable homes in the same area.
However, it was rejected by MPs alongside other proposed amendments in 3 May’s vote. The bill will return to the House of Commons on 9 May.
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