MP BACKS NATIONAL WEEK OF ACTION ON EMPTY HOMES
November 24, 2009 4:28 PM
As the number of estimated empty homes across the UK reaches the one million mark for the first time in more than a decade, Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt has described the situation as a "national disgrace".
Commenting at the start of the National Week of Action on empty homes organised by the Empty homes Agency, Mrs Burt said:
"The latest figures, published in 2008, show there were over 2,500 empty properties in Solihull, and the figure is rising. That represents nearly 3% of all homes in the borough not being used at all.
"More families than ever are living in overcrowded conditions and at the same time house building has slowed to the lowest rate since the 1920s.
"Instead of trying to force through unrealistic plans for nearly 13,000 extra houses in the borough, Government should concentrate first on bringing empty properties back into use.
"In order to tackle the housing shortage, we first need to make use of the ones we already have. Getting an empty home back into use costs a fraction of the price of building a new home, and saves on carbon emissions too.
"Housing needs in the borough could be significantly eased by a concerted effort to turn empty properties into homes."
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