Recommendations on how to bring more empty homes and shops back into use have been made by Lewisham’s Sustainable Development Select Committee.
Between September 2008 and January 2009 the Select Committee looked at issues around empty properties in the borough, hearing from both experts in the field and local residents and community groups.
The committee noted a rise in residents’ complaints about properties standing empty and that long-term empty properties can often attract anti-social behaviour, as well as affect the supply of housing and the local economy.
The main recommendations arising from the Committee’s review include:
- more effective information sharing and communications between the different Council departments involved in dealing with empty properties (such as planning, environmental health, the Empty Homes Officer, Town Centre Managers and the legal department)
- making greater use of the full range of powers available to the Council under the Town and Country Planning Act, including Section 215 Notices to increase the use of enforcement notices relating to empty properties
- the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders where all other attempts to bring properties back into a state of repair have failed
- improved recording and awareness of the empty commercial properties database among businesses and residents
- encouraging owners to make empty commercial properties accessible to community and other voluntary groups, where commercial letting is proving difficult.
The Committee’s final recommendations are expected to be considered by the Mayor and Cabinet on 28 January 2009.
Councillor Sue Luxton, Chair of the Select Committee, said:
“Long-term empty properties can be an eyesore and a real problem for people who have to live or work near them. While Lewisham has a good record in using Empty Dwelling Management Orders, we need to up our game and make sure we are using the full range of enforcement powers to bring empty properties back into use.
“The Empty Homes Agency says it is braced for a big rise in empty homes, and we can already see the recession leaving Woolies-shaped holes in our high streets. In these difficult economic times, as well as prompt enforcement, it is important that we also look at creative use of empty buildings and support for owners. This will help not only to soften the blow but to seize opportunities for us to make the most of these buildings in ways that benefit the community.”
During the course of the review, the Committee heard from David Ireland, the Chief Executive of the Empty Homes Agency, who commented that Lewisham already has a good reputation for work in the empty homes field, particularly in its use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs). The Committee also heard from neighbouring Bexley Council about its use of planning enforcement laws (Section 215s) and Lambeth Council’s use of compulsory purchase orders to bring long-term empty and neglected properties back into use.
Evidence was also heard from voluntary and community organisations keen to access empty commercial properties. Residents, local societies, community groups and ward councillors were also consulted, to hear about their experiences of empty homes and businesses and how they have affected their local area.
The recorded number of private sector homes left empty for more than six months stood at 258 in 2007-08 (out of 78,214 private homes in the borough), comparing favourably to other London boroughs. In the same period Lewisham brought 300 empty properties back into use, although the Committee noted that this was something of a ‘bumper year’ and the figure would generally average 200.
More information in the Review of Empty Properties in Lewisham report.