Leeds Building Society says it will continue to design products specifically for first-time-buyers through its range of shared ownership mortgages, as it seeks to increase lending by 40% in 2011, to £1.4 billion.

The UK’s 5th largest building society says it welcomes the support package for first-time-buyers that is expected to be announced today by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

Chief Executive, Ian Ward, said: “We know from our own experience that the biggest barrier to homeownership can often be saving for a deposit