SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE – 12
JUNE 2003
EMPTY
PROPERTY REPORT
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF HOUSING SERVICES
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
This report provides information on the work undertaken during 2002/03 by the Housing Initiatives Officer to return empty and derelict buildings back into active use for housing. It also provides information on work to be undertaken during the current financial year.
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
To
debate and make recommendations
BACKGROUND
Information on the current level of empty domestic dwellings on the Island have just been updated by the release of two key indicators;
- The 2001 Census shows that the number of empty dwellings stood at 1700 properties,
- In 2002 the council undertook a House Condition Survey that indicated empty properties attributed 3.6% of the Island’s Housing Stock or 2100 properties,
There is some discrepancy between these figures since the nature and type of empty dwellings changes on a regular basis and second homes cannot be distinguished from long-term empty properties in large counting exercises.
The Housing Department produced an Empty Property Strategy 2003-2006 to accompany the main Housing Strategy. The main focus of the Empty Property Strategy clearly underpins the main corporate objectives in the following ways:
To Improve Health, Housing
and Quality of Life for all:
- by protecting the physical condition of existing dwellings
- by providing homes for those in need and reducing the use of Bed and Breakfast
accommodation
- by increasing the amount of Council Tax collected
To create safe and crime
free communities:
- by assisting with the regeneration of the Island,
- by preventing vandalism of property and the fear of crime,
To protect the Island’s
physical environment:
- by the efficient use of existing buildings,
- by targeting assistance to properties that are an eyesore.
The target number of empty properties to bring back into use during the 2002/03 financial year was 31.
With this target were two other main aims:
the Isle of Wight Council,
b) Reduce the overall Bed and Breakfast budget by prioritising Empty Properties as
an alternative form of temporary accommodation.
At
the start of the 2002/03 financial year an amount of £96,000 was set aside to
provide financial assistance to owners to help with the renovation of empty
properties. Assistance was provided in order that the properties were used as
an alternative to bed and breakfast.
As
a response to the Audit Commission Homelessness inspection during 2002 it was
decided to transfer budget allocated to Energy Conservation work to the Empty
Property Grant Programme increasing the budget to £131000
for the financial year.
In addition to this
the council was successful in bidding to the Bed and Breakfast Unit for monies
and secured an additional £22,500.
During the 2002/03 Financial Year a total of 42 properties were returned into active use, 35 were empty for over 6 months.
The properties are being utilised in the following ways:
As an alternative to Bed and Breakfast 12
For lease by Housing Association 11
Privately rented 16
Lived in by owners 3
The funding made available by the Council assisted with the renovation of 17 dwellings. Of most note is assistance that was provided to one landlord of £10,000 for the renovation of one 5 bedroom property. The Council has made a weekly saving on the cost of the accommodation of £340 per week which equates to a yearly saving of £17680.
During the 2002/03 financial year the Empty Property Campaign was publicized through the following:
a) Letters to Members,
b) Letters to Parish Councils and talks given,
c) Articles in the Isle of Wight County Press,
d) Letters to owners,
e) Talks to partner agencies and voluntary groups.
Letters were sent to Parish Councils during October/November 2002 and February 2003. From the first letter responses were received from the following Parish/Town Councils:
a) Brading Town Council
b) Shanklin Town Council
c) Shorwell Parish Council
A
presentation was done to Shanklin Town Council in December 2002. The
presentation related to the number of empty dwellings in Shanklin and the work
undertaken in the area to return properties back to active use.
A second letter was sent out to the Parish Councils in February 2003 and further responses were received from:
a) Brighstone Parish Council,
b) Gurnard Parish Council,
c) Nettlestone and Seaview Parish Council,
d) Shorwell Parish Council and,
e) East Town Council
Work is being done to return properties identified back into use and to report on those cases back to the Parish Councils.
The identification of Empty Properties is continuing in the following various forms:
a) Reports from members of the public,
b) Site visits,
c) Work with consultants to identify properties,
d) Discussions with developers,
e) Letters to owners,
Considerable work has been undertaken free of charge by a firm of Consultants in order to establish ownership of long-term empty properties. Where owners are found an approach is made to ascertain if the owner wishes to sell. If the owner sells the company makes the property available for use by the Council.
Inspections of the local area continue to bring to light new empty properties. Inspections are undertaken to see if spaces over shops can be converted into residential use. Where the property is suitable discussions are started with the owner to decide the best way of utilising the space.
Where site visits are undertaken, and a Statutory Nuisance is being caused then enforcement notices are served. During the 2002/03 financial year works in default have been carried out at 2 properties. Work undertaken has included the re-roofing of a derelict property that was allowing water to affect the adjoining property.
Owners of derelict properties are advised on the potential Crime and Disorder issues of empty dwellings and where necessary boarding up of premises has taken place.
Of most notable success have been the start of works in properties on main tourism routes. Major sites on tourism routes have a negative effect on the Island’s economy and are considered as a high priority for targeted action.
The Housing Department is currently undertaking the production of Housing Renewal and Homelessness Strategies.
Empty Property work will continue to meet the needs of both Strategies by:
a) assisting with the regeneration of unfit and defective housing,
b) using brownfield sites as an alternative to new sites,
c) providing additional housing units for local residents.
For the forthcoming year work is being done to reinforce awareness of the general public on the role the Housing Department has to play in dealing with empty properties.
Awareness raising will continue and discussions are under way at present to allow members of the public to report an empty property via the council’s website.
The council has also been successful in again bidding to the Bed and Breakfast Unit for an additional sum of £22,500 for bringing properties back into use for temporary accommodation. Discussions are under way with owners of 9 properties at present.
There are also changes to the actions/assistance that the council will be able to provide through the reforms of Housing Renewal Grants and changes to regulations surrounding Compulsory Purchase and Leasing of long-term empty properties.
Work
will continue to be done with the Revenues Department to ensure that Second
Homes are identified for Council Tax purposes.
This will ensure that best use is made of the additional finances that
the Council will gain from the reduction in the applicable discount.
Contact Point: Peter Griffiths, Housing Initiatives Officer, Telephone 01983 823058
e-mail peter.griffiths@iow.gov.uk
M PEARL
Head of Housing Services