Scottish MPs call for action against ‘blight’ of empty homes

A Holyrood committee has called on the Scottish government to step in and sell empty homes which it says are a “blight upon communities”. The Local Government and Communities Committee (LGCC) has demanded a compulsory sales order to tackle an estimated 78,600 homes. It said the council tax levy applied to empty homes is being overused by councils, helping many to drive revenues and exacerbating the issue. James Dornan, convenor of the LGCC, said: “Empty homes are a blight upon communities across Scotland and represent a wasted resource at a time when housing supply is limited. “It is not acceptable that the council tax levy is being used by some councils as a revenue raising tool, meaning people taking active steps to bring a property back into use can end up being penalised.” He said the government should review the low take-up of compulsory purchase orders and said the committee was “disappointed” that compulsory sales orders have not been introduced. Dornan said: “It is also absolutely essential that we tackle empty homes as part of a wider strategy to regenerate town centres, improve housing supply and support vibrant communities.” The Scottish government has committed to bringing forward compulsory sales orders to enable local authorities to require land that has been vacant or derelict to be sold by public auction. Last year it began working with the Scottish Land Commission and other stakeholders to develop detailed proposals for this mechanism. To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @estatesgazette