Over 4,000 armed forces personnel have had applications approved to buy a home under the Forces Help to Buy scheme.

More than £40m has been given to 2,700 applicants to help them buy their first homes or move up the property ladder. A further 1,400 personnel have had their applications approved.

The £200m scheme allows military personnel to borrow a deposit of up to half of their annual salary towards buying a home.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "I’m delighted that Forces Help To Buy has proved such a huge success in less than a year. Helping thousands of our servicemen and women enjoy the security of owning their home is a great example of the support we give to them and their families in return for everything they do for our country.

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"Our commitment to providing quality accommodation demonstrates, once again, that we are honouring the core principle of the Armed Forces Covenant – that no service person or their families are disadvantaged by the contribution and sacrifice they make."

The first of three planning applications to construct over 900 homes on Salisbury Plain is due to be submitted this month.

The first application seeks permission for 246 homes at Ludgershall, while two new, single living accommodation blocks will be built at the Infantry Training Centre Catterick at a cost of £10m.

Four accommodation blocks containing 768 beds are being built for junior ranks at Defence School of Transport, Humberside.

(IT)