Push to bring empty New Forest houses back into use

will be encouraged to bring them back into use as part of the district council’s housing strategy.New ForestOWNERS of empty properties in the

’s housing boss, has pledged to push owners in a bid to help the local housing market. She told the latest cabinet meeting: “We will tackle long-term empty properties in our district to ensure housing does not sit there empty for years on end.NFDCCllr Jill Cleary,

“In this regard we will work with owners to bring empty properties back to use and we will not shy away from taking formal action where it is appropriate.”

Cllr Cleary made the comments while presenting the council’s strategy towards the local private housing sector, on which NFDC completed a survey within the past year.

The report said at the time of the survey 94.5% (72,269) dwellings were occupied, with the remainder – the equivalent of 4,195 homes – vacant.

Of those vacant, 2,592 had been so for less than six months but 685 were longer and “typically regarded as problematic in occupancy terms”. The other 918 were either holiday lets or second homes.

Tackling empty homes is one of five key priorities identified within the strategy, which added NFDC will “pro-actively work to identify” long-term empty properties, “target” owners of them and “provide support, advice and information to homeowners to bring empty properties back into use”.

The other four priorities include delivering safe homes, adapted living, increasing partnerships and promoting energy efficiency.

NFDC said forming a strategy for private sector housing helped the council take measures to prevent homelessness, make the best use of the council’s housing stock, inform design standards for its new temporary accommodation and gain an improved understanding of prioritising resources.