The
Local Government Association claims the overly complex Compulsory Purchase
legislation means councils are leaving empty homes to rot. The LGA says that
there are over 700,000 empty properties in England and a third of these have
been empty for at least six months. It is calling for councils to be able to
acquire time-limited leaseholds, enabling them to undertake refurbishment work
to properties and bring them back into a habitable state, recouping their
investment through rental income. Mike
Jones, Chairman of the LGA's Environment and Housing Board, said: "During
one of the worst housing crises this country has faced, with demand at sky-high
levels, councils are being hamstrung. It is high time they were given proper
compulsory purchase powers, enabling them to ‘revive’ properties that are
simply gathering dust."
