No Use Empty project

There are around 4,300 long-term empty properties in the four districts of Thanet, Dover, Shepway and Swale. The resources available to tackle long term empty properties used to vary across the districts.

Based on these current statistics, a project was developed to increase the number of empty properties returned to use as good quality housing accommodation. This has been used for an empty property loan scheme partnership fund, funding and support for districts in their enforcement work and a direct purchase scheme.

These schemes allow the districts to offer improved incentives to encourage owners to bring their empty properties back into use, or to take formal action to secure the re-use of empty properties where owners are uncooperative.

Benefits

• Support provided by the county enables the districts to improve performance towards their targets to reduce empty properties, increase housing supply, reduce crime and disorder.
• Work undertaken by the districts to tackle the empty property issues supports the county in its work to bring about regeneration in the target areas, reduce crime and disorder and raise economic success.

Find out more

You can find out more about the project by visiting the No Use Empty website.