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* Cameron praises 2,384 approvals as part of govt "plan forBritain"
* RBS says 171.6 mln stg of mortgages agreed in principle
* Halifax has had applications for mortgages worth 194 mlnstg
LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - More than 2,000 homebuyersobtained mortgages through the British government's flagshiploan support scheme in the first month of its broader operation,with most of those first-time buyers, Prime Minister DavidCameron said on Monday.
Britain's Conservative government is pushing the plan, witha 2015 election in mind, as a way to help people move onto, orup, the property ladder, and stimulate growth after three yearsof economic stagnation.
But critics say that unless the scheme is properlyscrutinised it could drive up house prices in sought-after areaslike London and create a housing bubble that might burst wheninterest rates start to rise later this decade.
The figures given by Cameron for the first month in whichthe scheme has operated for both new build and existing homescompared to the almost 67,000 mortgages approved overall inBritain in September - the highest since 2008.
Most applicants for the government scheme were young, had aroughly average household income and were buying their firsthome, Cameron said in a statement, arguing the programme wascentral to his vision for Britain.
"Owning a home is about more than four walls to sleep atnight. It's about independence, self-reliance, moving on andmoving up," Cameron said.
"Above all, it's about aspiration. Help to Buy is helpingpeople realise the dream of home ownership - and it's a key partof my plan for Britain."
A total of 2,384 applications had been received from the twoparticipating banks, largely nationalised RBS andpartially state-owned Halifax Bank of Scotland.
RBS, which owns NatWest, said 73 percent of its 1,080mortgages through the scheme were for first-time buyers.
If all of the applications are finally approved, the bankwill be lending 171.6 million pounds ($274.5 million) under theprogramme.
It said the average amount its customers wanted to borrowwas 159,000 pounds and the average price of the home they wantedto buy was 167,565 pounds.
"These are majority young first-time buyers who, without'Help to Buy', wouldn't have been able to consider a mortgage orbuy a home," said Lloyd Cochrane, head of mortgages at NatWestand RBS.
Halifax, owned by RBS's part-nationalised rival LloydsBanking Group, said it had received 1,309 mortgageapplications from home buyers across the UK who have found aproperty to purchase.
Halifax said the applications were for mortgages worth atotal of 194 million pounds.
RBS is allowing customers to draw down the funds before thescheme officially launches in January and said 5 customers hadalready purchased new homes through the scheme.
