Harper Macleod’s Jennifer Jack discusses the COSLA conference taking place in St Andrews this week and the powers local authorities have to get empty homes back into use. COSLA's 2019 Annual Conference takes place today and tomorrow (10 & 11 October), looking at local government issues 20
Empty Homes
A report has revealed that more than 2,000 homes are lying empty in Aberdeen.
The Scottish Government has been criticised for abandoning its manifesto pledge to introduce compulsory sale orders to help councils deal with empty homes and regenerate vacant and derelict land.
Shelter Scotland is calling for nominations for an awards ceremony to recognise the work of people fighting to bring Scotland's 39,000 privately-owned, long-term empty homes back into use. The Howdens Scottish Empty Homes Champion of the Year Awards is held every year to showcase the work of those t
Housing minister Kevin Stewart has met with Falkirk Council’s head of housing services to hear about the work being done to combat empty homes in the area.
A majority of Scots agree that empty homes lead to a reduction in the amount of available housing and believe private owners of empty homes should be pressured to bring them back into use, according to new opinion polling. Research carried out by YouGov for the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP
A record number of privately-owned empty homes in Scotland were brought back into use with help from local councils last year. In its latest annual report, the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) said that 1,128 properties became homes again in 2018-2019, the best year yet for the group which su
More empty homes in the countryside could be returned to use if greater policy flexibility was available to recognise the “unique circumstances” of rural Scotland, according to Scottish Land & Estates. After providing evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s local government and c
South Ayrshire Council has more than exceeded its targets for bringing empty private properties back into use, new figures have revealed. The council is committed to providing around 1,000 new affordable homes to be delivered over five years from 2018 to 2023 and bringing empty private homes back in
Plans to introduce compulsory sales orders (CSOs) for empty homes in Scotland have been backed by a number of councils.
The extent of empty homes and how these can be brought back into use is to be investigated by the Scottish Parliament’s local government and communities committee. National Records of Scotland data from 2017 has shown that 4% of the dwellings in Scotland are unoccupied and the committee’
A total of 37 empty homes were brought back into use in Argyll and Bute from April through to December last year – exceeding Argyll and Bute Council’s annual target of 25. At a meeting of the council’s Community Services Committee yesterday, members also heard how there have been 6
Aberdeen City Council has launched a new empty homes service with support from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP). A full-time specialist empty homes officer will be employed to help track down owners of empty properties and work with them to return them to the housing stock, for instance b
Energy supplier E.ON launched an innovative pilot project to help tackle the blight of long-term empty homes and the current housing shortage that persists across the UK. The firm will work with North East Derbyshire District Council to bring empty homes back into use by offering effective solutions
A Conservative MSP has condemned the rise of empty properties within South Lanarkshire, and across Scotland, since 2007. The Scottish Government’s Quarterly Housing Statistics, published this week, revealed that the number of empty properties and second homes in Scotland has increased by 16% from