Council set to approve homes strategy

4:00pm Sunday 7th September 2008

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DUDLEY Council will be giving an update this week on its new plan to tackle the rising problem of empty private properties across the borough.

The council’s empty homes strategy is set to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday September 10.

Developed through research and consultation with partners and the community, the strategy outlines a plan of action to go through to 2011 to combat what’s become a significant national problem.

Councillor Michael Evans, Dudley’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Empty private properties represent a wasted resource to our community, especially when the demand for housing in the borough continues to grow.

“As a council we are committed to reducing the number of empty properties in the area by working with owners to help bring them back into use.

“Our new empty homes strategy provides information about why privately owned properties are empty, the benefits of bringing them back into use and, most importantly, it details how we have developed co-ordinated solutions to tackle the issue.

“This new strategy complements our overall objective to maintain and enhance the health of the housing marketing in the borough.”

The strategy is also supported by the council’s housing assistance scheme - which can provide grant assistance to the owners of properties, that have lain empty for more than a year, enabling them to be bought back into use.