Turning empty properties into affordable homes for local people

A resident who was local to Tiddington, has moved into a renovated flat which was standing empty in Tiddington Main Street until Stratford District Council awarded a grant to renovate it for use as affordable housing.

With the owner contributing over a third of the total cost, the property has been transformed into an affordable home which is specifically designated for Stratford people who are not in a position to afford high market rents.

The project is yet another example of partnership working involving Stratford District Council's Empty Homes Officer; the owners of the property, Mr and Mrs Azhar; Warwickshire Age UK's architectural and design service and Fletch Carpentry who carried out the works.

Councillor Maurice Howse, Enterprise, Housing and Revenues Portfolio Holder whose responsibilities include this area of the District Council's work, will meet with the other partners at the property this Friday to discuss with them how any lessons learnt from the experience could be used to assist and improve such partnership working in the future.

Councillor Maurice Howse, Portfolio Holder for Enterprise, Housing and Revenues Portfolio says: “With nearly 4,000 households waiting for housing in Stratford-on-Avon District, returning its mostly privately owned 500 empty properties to use would go a long way towards meeting this demand and our Empty Homes Assistance Grant scheme is just one of a range of measures we are using to achieve this."  

This latest success for the District Council is part of a wider grants initiative which is designed to increase affordable housing in the District as well as helping communities affected by the negative effects of empty and derelict properties.

This property is the twelfth home completed and occupied under the Council's Empty Homes Assistance scheme, with a further one in progress in Stratford to convert a derelict property into six affordable housing units. Other similarly successful project partnerships have so far been located in Studley, Southam and Stratford.

The District Council's Empty Homes Strategy paves the way for a broader range of support to return empty homes to use and provide even better value for money. With a record number of people in need of affordable rented housing in the District, the District Council will also be working to improve standards for residential tenants and lodgers. So, in addition to developing the District Council's funding programme, there will be more emphasis on providing training and accreditation for the District's landlords and letting agents to improve their understanding of their legal responsibilities under the Housing Act 2004.

Owners of empty properties, landlords or letting agents who would like further information and guidance about the range of advice and support that the District Council can offer them can contact the Empty Homes Team: either Carol Roberts, at Stratford District Council on 01789 260851 or email psht@stratford-dc.gov.uk.