§ Mr. Roger EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the letting for residential purposes of vacant premises above high street shops; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryUnder the Department's flats over shops initiative, £25 million is being made available between 1992–93 and 1994–95 to bring empty space over commercial premises into housing use. The scheme aims to encourage, by demonstration, other private property owners to consider similar action for their own wasted space. The Housing Corporation also makes funds available for such schemes under its approved development programme. The Department has issued some 2,900 flats over shop information packs and has helped to host a joint DOE/Property Managers Association seminar for retrial and commercial institutions. In addition, the Department is part funding the living over the shop project which works with a number of local authorities on renovating and letting vacant flats over shops, as well as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors' "Spare Space?" project.