Plan to bring 400 empty Telford homes back into use

Now a plan to help bring the houses back into use is set to be adopted across the borough.

Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet will be asked to approve a new strategy when it meets at AFC Telford United's learning centre on Thursday.

Councillors will be told that there are about 400 private properties that have been empty within Telford and Wrekin for more than six months.

The council says this is not only a waste of housing but can often adversely affect communities by hitting house values and leading to vandalism, fly tipping and other criminal activity.

The strategy will aim to reduce the number of empty homes by helping owners bring their empty properties up to standard and into use.

It also plans to implement a landlord accreditation scheme to improve the standard of privately rented properties and provide support and advice to accredited landlords.

Alongside this, the council also wants to adopt a new strategy for dealing with homelessness in the borough, particularly the reliance on bed and breakfast accommodation.

It follows a comprehensive review of homelessness undertaken earlier this year.

Councillor Charles Smith, cabinet member for housing, development and borough towns, said: "We are working hard to build affordable housing in the borough, but we mustn't forget that there is already some housing out there which could be utilised.

"For every empty existing property we are also losing valuable grant money which is available for every new affordable home we build as the empty homes are detracted from our total build.

"Bringing these empty properties up to standard will revitalise areas, and help to house people who need a home.

"The homelessness review flagged up certain things that could be done in partnership with the voluntary sector and registered social landlords.

"Therefore the strategy has been looked at again to make it more fit for purpose and to ensure that resources are used as effectively as possible."