Empty housing is having a detrimental impact on local communities, according to residents and businesses in an independent survey.
The survey, carried out by BMG Research and commissioned by Kent County Council in partnership with East Kent District Councils, aimed to ascertain the perceptions of local residents and businesses on the impact of empty properties on their local community, and the overall effect on the neighbourhood.
Kent County Council, in partnership with the four District Councils of Dover, Shepway, Swale and Thanet, recently launched No Use Empty – a campaign aimed at tackling the problem of empty housing in the East Kent region. The findings from this survey highlight the acute anti-social impact of long term empty properties.
The key findings of the survey include:
- 62% of residents perceive empty property to have a negative impact on the local community, with most expressing concern over them making the area look run down or dirty. Other concerns note the effect on crime, an increase in vandalism and the attraction of squatters.
- 65% of residents recognise the positive effects of bringing empty property back into use. Around half of the respondents said the area looks better, or it had improved the area, with others expressing that it was a nicer place to live, it has given people a home, and even increased house prices.
- 50% of local businesses perceived empty property near their premises to have a negative impact on their trade. Concerns raised include fewer customers, the area looking run down and dirty, and the area generally developing a bad reputation.
Councillor Graham Gibbens, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Supporting Independence at Kent County Council, says: “The results of this survey strengthens our conviction that empty properties are bad news for communities across Kent, and the Council is committed to tackling this issue head on.
“We have already demonstrated this commitment by launching the No Use Empty campaign last November, with our partners in Dover, Shepway, Swale and Thanet.
The No Use Empty campaign was launched last November, and is already receiving phenomenal interest, with the website – www.no-use-empty.org – receiving almost 10,000 hits in five weeks, and the hot line (08458 247605) receiving a deluge of early inquiries.