NO USE EMPTY PASSES 2,000 HOME MILESTONE
UK’s longest-running empty homes initiative has now returned over 2,000 empties to use
No Use Empty, Kent County Council’s (KCC) initiative to return empty homes to use, announces today that it has created over 2,000 new homes since its inception in 2005.
In 2011 No Use Empty returned a total of 398 empty properties to use, meaning that the scheme has now delivered 2,075 in total. The scheme, which is adopted by all twelve authorities in Kent, enjoyed particular success in Dartford, where 123 new homes were created in 2011 against a target of 100; and in Gravesham, where the annual target of 16 was exceeded by 33.
Steve Grimshaw, Project Manager for the No Use Empty scheme, said:
“To reach 2,000 homes is a fantastic achievement and testament to the hard work of the Empty Homes Officers across the County. There remains a housing shortfall across Kent, and given the low levels of housebuilding, empty homes are an important part of the solution.”
No Use Empty is the longest running empty homes initiative in the UK. It was launched by KCC in 2005, initially in partnership with four local authorities (Shepway, Dover, Thanet and Swale)
Today all twelve authorities in Kent participate in the scheme, and last summer it was extended beyond the county with Bristol City Council and the West of England partnership launching their own empty homes initiative under the ‘No Use Empty’ banner.
No Use Empty was the first scheme to offer interest free loans to owners of empty homes to fund the necessary repairs and refurbishments to bring them back into use. Owners can apply for up to £25,000 per unit (repayable in 3 years), with KCC issuing a total of £5.5 million in loans since 2005, facilitating the return of 289 empty homes to use. The loans granted by KCC have leveraged an additional £12.5 million in private funding, meaning that the total investment in empty homes in Kent under the No Use Empty scheme stands at £18 million.
In addition to financial assistance, No Use Empty is proactive in targeting owners of long-term empties and providing advice on tax and legal issues. In some cases, No Use Empty has bought long term derelict properties via a Compulsory Purchase Order in order to return them to use.