Empty Properties

Overview

Birmingham City Council is now consulting on it’s draft
Private Sector Empty Property Strategy 2013-18.

Birmingham, like many other major cities is faced with an acute and on-going housing shortage.  This gives rise to increased homelessness and housing affordability problems for many people.  This strategy aims to bring more of the city’s empty homes back into use to provide ‘good quality, affordable housing to meet that need’.     

In developing the strategy we have identified a number of clear objectives we wish to achieve. 

• Have a coordinated approach to empty property work to ensure the broadest corporate ownership of the need to address the blight of empty homes.
• Ensure delivery of the Empty Property Strategy is linked with the City Council Leader’s Policy Statement and the Birmingham Core Strategy.
• Use information and publicity to raise awareness of empty homes initiatives
• Provide encouragement and support to empty property owners
• Develop and adopt enforcement procedures
• Enhance our approach to returning empty homes to use by continuing to work and share experiences with other local authorities. 
• Utilise funding available to bring empty homes back into use and provide affordable housing solutions across the city for people in housing need.

To find out more and give us your views:
Phone: Noel McGurran       0121 303 6952
Email: noel.mcgurran@birmingham.gov.uk