Council aiming to reduce number of empty houses in Telford

There are more than 1,000 homes in the Telford and Wrekin Council area that have stood empty for more than six months and more than 200 for more than two years.

The council will outline the Long Term Empty Property Strategy at its next cabinet meeting on Thursday which aims to increase housing choice and tackle the blight of empty properties on local communities.

As well as working closely with property owners, the council is also setting out an enforcement regime which will start from the moment a property is reported as being empty and becoming an environmental issue.

Through the framework, which supports the council’s main Housing Strategy, the council aims to make the best use of existing housing, support communities affected by empty properties nearby and provide homes for those in housing need, particularly the most vulnerable.

Over the next five years the council intends to bring a minimum of 375 long-term empty properties back into use.

Long-term empty properties are those that have been empty for over six months and there are currently 1,009 in the borough with 214 standing vacant for over two years.

Councillor David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for economy, housing, transport, said: “Our neighbourhoods are great places to live but a sustained focus on long term empty properties will enable us to tackle some of the most challenging properties which are impacting on our communities.

“We are committed to improving the overall condition of housing in the borough and increasing the affordable housing choice for our residents.”

There are a number of reasons why properties become empty including inheritance tax issues, lack of finance to carry out essential repairs or problems achieving a sale or let.

Also, the owner may not be local or in residential care and in other cases owners are simply unwilling to bring properties back into use.

Telford & Wrekin Council’s deputy leader Councillor Richard Overton said: “This new proposal highlights our commitment to bringing empty properties back into use which we know can attract anti social behaviour and have a serious impact on local communities.

“We are committed to working with owners but will also use our enforcement powers where we need to. Tackling these properties and improving the visual amenity and street scene in our neighbourhoods will have a knock-on positive effect by increasing the value of surrounding property and the overall attractiveness of the borough for investment.”