Communities Minister Don Foster has announced the opening of bidding for a share of £300m funding earmarked for bringing thousands of additional empty homes back into use across England.
Under the scheme 5,000 empty, and in many cases derelict, properties will be refurbished and put back onto the market over the next three years.
A range of organisations including councils, housing associations, community and voluntary groups, as well as high street regeneration groups – prioritising the 27 ‘Portas pilot’ towns and 326 town team partners – will be able to bid for a share of the funding.
Ministers are also considering future measures to bring not just homes but empty buildings generally back into use including making it easier to convert commercial into residential property and making more use of space above shops as homes.
Read the DCLG news release at: LINK
For the BRE report on the fund see: LINK
Search Planning Portal: LINK
