The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report which sought approval of the updated Empty Homes Strategy 2020-2026.  The report explained how the service helped and persuaded owners to bring their empty homes back into use. This was the third version of the strategy and took stock of activity since 2008.

The report explained that bringing privately-owned empty homes back into the market boosted housing supply, smartened streetscapes, helped prevent and tackled crime and anti-social behaviour.  Re-use of existing buildings had a smaller ecological footprint than new build housing because it required fewer building resources and did not require undeveloped land.  A copy of the Empty Homes Strategy 2020-2026 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The Empty Homes Strategy set out the following aims for the period 2020-2026:

·                     Identify empty homes and their owners, understand the reasons why their homes remained empty and help owners to bring their spare homes back into use.

·                     Use enforcement powers to force owners to reduce the impact of their unkempt buildings on their locale.

·                     Encourage owners to make their spare homes available to local people needing a home.

·                     Contribute towards sustainable development through re-use of existing, finite resources.

·                     Maximise Council income through New Homes Bonus rewards.

The Strategy also set a goal for increasing the number of high priority long-term empty homes back in to use from 20 to 30 annually.

Resolved:

(1)     That the activity and results of the Empty Homes Strategy be noted;

(2)     That the Empty Homes Strategy 2020/26 and its new goal for bringing 30 high-priority long term empty homes back into use be approved;

(3)     That the Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Finance and the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services where appropriate, be delegated to amend the Strategy where it did not affect the broad direction of the policy.