15 FEB 2009
Yorkshire and the Humber’s lead Green Party candidate for the European Elections writes on the growth in homes lying empty in the region causing urban blight and distress to local residents. Councils and government must take action.
Martin Hemingway said “The number of homes left empty in Yorkshire and the Humber is rising and action must be taken to reverse this trend. With a record low in home buying and a surge in repossessions we are likely to see more and more empty properties down every street. Government and local councils must get to grips with this before it gets out of control.”
“Councils need to audit the abandoned and derelict empty homes, remove council tax discounts on long term empty homes, and invest money to bring empty homes back into use. The scope of powers allowing local authorities to take possession of the most problematic empty properties should be increased. It is unpleasant for people to live alongside empty homes and reduces the vibrancy of our communities. The Empty Homes Agency has shown it takes one-sixth of the carbon emissions to refurbish a home than to build a new one.”
3.1% of homes across England have been empty for more than 6 months but in Yorkshire and the Humber region that figure is 4.1%. This is expected to get worse if the recession continues unless Government takes action to create jobs in the region by introducing a Green New Deal. This would see money invested in renewable energy and energy conservation.
New figures from the Empty Homes Agency show that between 2007 and 2008 the number of homes lying empty in our region increased from 78,850 to 92,409. Numbers fell from 2000 to 2006 and then started to rise again. People’s homes being repossessed in large numbers and new-build flats in city centres are blamed for the increase in the number of vacant properties.
In the four most Southerly regions only 2.5% are empty for that long. There is a North-South divide blighting Britain but Greens would ensure the EU would support regions hit harder by recession.
Martin Hemingway
Lead Euro-candidate for the Yorkshire and the Humber Green Party
mhemingway@ntlworld.com
Notes
Source for Statistics:
Department of Communities and Local Government – Empty Homes Agency
http://www.emptyhomes.com/index.html
