A campaign which aims to bring empty properties back into use in East Kent is urging the public to play their part in helping to tackle the problem by reporting empty properties in their neighbourhood.
The appeal has been made to coincide with the Empty Homes Agency’s National Week of Action (3rd – 7thDecember 2007), which aims to raise awareness of the problems caused by empty housing across the UK.
The No Use Empty initiative is a partnership made up of Kent County Council and the four District Councils of Thanet, Dover, Shepway and Swale. Launched in response to the recurring problem of empty housing in East Kent and the detrimental impact they have on local communities, the campaign is encouraging owners of empty properties to bring them back into use and create much-needed homes for people across the region. The initiative supports and complementing the work carried out by the individual District Councils to combat empty housing.
Since the initiative was launched two years ago, over 300 properties have been brought back into use across the four districts. Now the campaign is calling on the public to do their bit to help bring empty properties back into use.
Susan Pledger, Project Manager of the No Use Empty campaign, said: “We have made excellent progress since the campaign was launched two years ago, and have exceeded our target figures for bringing empty properties back into use.
There are around 3000 properties are currently empty in East Kent. Empty properties devalue surrounding housing and often make the area look run down. They also encourage anti-social behaviour such crime, vandalism and can attract squatters.
Empty properties can also have a negative impact on the trade of local businesses. Once an area has developed a bad reputation for the antisocial behaviour associated with empty properties, customers will be reluctant to visit.
Over the last year, the initiative has been busy providing free help and advice to owners of empty properties and raising awareness of the widespread problems caused to communities by empty housing. A website has also been launched – www.no-use-empty.org – which provides a one-stop information resource for anyone and everyone with an interest in empty housing.
Kent County Council has launched a loan scheme to encourage owners to renovate their empty properties and bring them back into use and an acquisition programme to allow the Council to purchase empty properties which causing particular problems and acting as a barrier for regeneration in local communities.
Free help and advice is available to property owners who are advised to visit the website – www.no-use-empty.org – or call the No Use Empty hotline 08458 247605.
“While our Empty Property Officers are aware of the majority of empty houses in the region, we are calling on the public to report properties in their local community which they believe to be long term vacant. I would urge people to call the No Use Empty hotline on 08458 247 605 where a member of a team will be happy to talk to you.”