Councils consider options on housing problems

Proposals to give English councils more power to tackle the problem of 300,000 long-standing empty homes across the country have been launched today.

The consultation paper 'Empty homes: temporary management, lasting solutions' supplies options for councils to lease empty properties to people in need of homes.

Housing Minister Tony McNulty said, when launching the consultation during the National Week of Action on Empty Homes, that the government "could not tolerate homes without people when there were people without homes".

He added: "Empty homes blight communities. They are a magnet for vandals and tie up the resources of local authorities and the emergency services. Bringing them back into use will provide much-needed housing and reduce the impact of development on urban fringes and the countryside."

The consultation paper puts forward a range of options that would allow local authorities to take temporary management control of privately owned empty homes in defined circumstances. The power would act as a back up to voluntary leasing schemes, already operating in some areas, without unduly penalising owners.

The Transport, Local Government and Regions select committee report recommended on 20 March 2002 that the government sponsor a pilot programme of local authority compulsory leasing schemes for long-term empty homes.

The paper sets out four options. The first option would not entail legislation, the other three would require the introduction of new primary legislation.

(GMcG)