Burt calls for better use of empty homes (From Evesham Journal)

Burt calls for better use of empty homes

7:00am Monday 30th November 2009

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LOCAL Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt, has called on councils to do more to utilise empty properties rather than begin new building projects.

Mr Burt has written to the Leaders of Wychavon, Malvern Hills and Worcester councils calling on them to take more action to bring empty properties in South Worcestershire back into use.

His call has come at the start of the National Week of Action on empty homes, organised by the Empty Homes Agency, which revealed that the amount of empty homes across the UK has topped the one million mark for the first time.

Mr Burt said: “Instead of trying to force through unrealistic plans for 25,000 extra houses, Government and local councils should concentrate more on bringing empty properties back into use.

"Here in South Worcestershire there were over 3,500 empty properties at the last count in 2008, and the figures are still rising.

"Getting more of these properties back into use would have a real impact on families in desperate need of decent housing.

"Getting an empty home back into use costs a fraction of the price of building a new home, and saves on carbon emissions too.”

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