Greater London emerges as the region with the most abandoned properties. A staggering 290,000 homes lie vacant, a recent analysis by Together reveals. This phenomenon isn’t confined to the capital; the South East, North West, and South West follow closely behind.
The spectre of derelict homes haunts various regions, hinting at a deeper issue within the housing sector. The South East trails behind Greater London, with the North West and South West also grappling with significant numbers of empty homes. This widespread issue not only reflects on the urban landscape but also on the potential solutions that lie untapped within these forgotten walls.
Amid this backdrop of neglect, there’s a glimmer of hope. The government’s latest proposals aim to breathe new life into these structures, simplifying the conversion of commercial buildings into residential homes. Housing Secretary Michael Gove’s vision is to transform shops, offices, and other commercial spaces into living quarters without the hurdle of full planning permission, promising a future where thousands of homes rise from the remnants of England’s commercial past.
Highlighting Hidden Gems
Lucy Alexander, a familiar face from “Homes under the Hammer,” champions Together’s Hidden Gems campaign, drawing attention to the potential these deserted properties hold. With nearly 15 years of delving into the world of derelict homes, Alexander has witnessed firsthand the transformation of unloved buildings into cherished homes. The campaign aims to illuminate the path for those daring enough to tackle these unique renovation projects, providing insight into securing the necessary financing and support.
A Closer Look at the Numbers
The issue spans across different types of properties, with London boroughs holding the highest number of detached homes lying idle, valued at a staggering £11.5 billion. Meanwhile, Cornwall stands out for its detached vacant homes, Birmingham for semi-detached, and County Durham for terraced houses, each area revealing a facet of the broader challenge. Westminster, with its 33,102 empty flats and apartments valued at £27 billion, epitomises the sheer scale of wasted urban potential.
A Call for Action
Elliot Vure, corporate director at Together, emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the UK’s housing crisis, “Fixing the UK housing crisis has been a long-standing and thorny problem for successive governments. What is needed is a more joined-up approach. There should be a long-term strategy to encourage homebuyers and rental investors to bring back to life the hundreds of thousands empty homes across the UK’s regions. And, while we welcome moves to relax planning restrictions to enable more commercial-to-residential developments, there needs to be greater access to funding for what can often be complex projects.”