§ Viscount Brentfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to bring into use empty homes in England of which there were 767,000 in April 1997; and what progress they have made in the past year. [HL3371]
§ Lord WhittyMaking best use of existing buildings and bringing empty homes back into use is at the heart of the Government's approach to planning for the communities of the future. We are encouraging local authorities to develop effective empty property148WA strategies that make best use of existing stock and tackle under-occupation. Some 200 authorities have strategies in place. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is providing funding to the Empty Homes Agency to work with authorities to bring more empty commercial property back into housing use and to assist rural authorities in drawing up successful strategies.
The Government have significantly increased the resources available to local authorities to invest in housing, including properties which may have been empty for a long time awaiting refurbishment. Eight hundred million pounds has been made available in 1997–98 and 1998–99 through the Capital Receipts Initiative. A further £3.6 billion is being made available over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–2002, following the Comprehensive Spending Review. Local authorities can also make use of a number of other sources of funding, such as the Single Regeneration Budget and the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme to support action on empty property.
§ Viscount Brentfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are considering the introduction of an empty property rate after a home has been unoccupied for a period of time, to encourage private owners of empty homes to occupy or let or sell these homes. [HL3373]
§ Lord WhittyWe have received representations that the council tax liability attracted by long term empty dwellings should be increased, and we are currently considering these.