Shropshire Star

New moves to get empty Shropshire homes back in use

A new three-year strategy to help fill thousands of empty homes across Shropshire will be devised by council chiefs.

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And officials at Shropshire Council want residents, businesses and stakeholder groups to give their views on why homes become empty and what assistance is available to owners for getting such properties returned to use.

It is part of the authority's Empty Homes Strategy for 2014 to 2017, which will include residential and commercial properties lying unused.

In 2012 just under 3.5 per cent of homes in Shropshire were empty. There were more than 4,600 registered as empty, with more than 1,700 of those classified as long-term empty properties, having been empty for more than six months.

The majority of the empty properties were privately owned.

During the Empty Homes Strategy 2010-2013, the figures for returning empty homes to use through Shropshire Council involvement were 65 in 2010/11, 94 in 2011/12 and 74 in 2012/13.

Nationally there were around 710,000 empty homes recorded in England in 2012.

Of these almost 260,000 had been empty for over six months and were classified as long-term empty properties.

A council spokesman said: "It is anticipated that the employment of this strategy will help to build and develop the level of skill and expertise needed to effectively bring empty properties back into use, using a linked approach throughout the council and other organisations."

Councillor Mal Price, portfolio holder for housing at Shropshire Council, said: "Shropshire is fortunate that it does not have streets of derelict and boarded-up empty properties, as can be found in other areas of the country. However, there is a shortage of housing and as such it is necessary to make the best use of the county's existing housing stock, ensuring a supply of good quality homes for people to rent or buy.

"We hope this strategy will support others to work with us to deliver our objective of creating new homes for people.

Together we can help to make Shropshire a better place to live, work and visit."

For more information and to leave feedback go to http://new.shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/empty-homes-strategy-2014-2017

People have until September 20 to register their views.

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