Find out about the council’s Empty Property Strategy. You can download our 2009-2014 strategy document below.
Strategy 2009-2014 – Meeting Government Targets
The Government recognises the importance of maximising the use of existing housing to minimise the number of new homes that need to be built. Councils are encouraged to:
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Record, monitor and report upon the number of long term empty properties in their area.
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Increase the number of houses being built on brown-field sites or through the conversion of existing buildings.
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Reduce both the overall number of empty properties and the length of time that properties remain unoccupied.
Eastbourne’s updated Empty Property Strategy is the council’s commitment to helping owners turn liabilities into assets – and much needed homes.
How Many Empty Properties are there in Eastbourne?
According to official statistics there were 1,133 empty properties at 31 March 2009, representing 2.43 per cent of the total stock.
Of the 978 that were privately owned, 354 had remained empty for six months or more and can be described as long term empty. The council is committed to seeing as many empty properties as possible being brought back into use.
How Does Reducing Numbers of Empty Properties Help Owners and the Town in General?
Bringing an empty home back into use offers owners considerable potential advantages:
Bringing back a property into use encourages economic vitality and has a positive impact on the environment. It also helps to maintain and protect a buoyant local housing market by replacing empty and decaying properties with refurbished or new homes.
How Can the Council Help?
The strategy gives details of the various options available to help and support owners who wish to see their properties occupied. It also describes the enforcement powers available to the council when encouragement has proved ineffective.
The Council has an Empty Property Officer with responsibility for reviewing, updating and implementing the strategy. He is the first point of contact if you own an empty property and need help to bring it back into use.
He will be pleased to provide advice and guidance with respect to maintaining, improving, selling, leasing or letting your property. He can also discuss renovation or redevelopment opportunities, offering assistance in the form of grants or loans in appropriate circumstances.
Download Empty Property Strategy
