BURNLEY Council is looking to take ownership of another 48 empty homes through compulsory purchase orders.

Councillors on the executive committee which meets on Tuesday will be asked to approve the order.

The Empty Homes Clusters programme aims to identify groups of empty properties suitable for refurbishment and being brought back into use.

The council successfully bid for £3.5million of Government funding to pay for the scheme and up to 175 long-term empty properties will be renovated and brought back into use. Three areas in Brennand Street, Gannow and Trinity have been earmarked for the scheme.

Coun Howard Baker, Burnley Council’s executive member for housing and environment, said: “This is about improving the quality of houses across the borough, stopping them from becoming derelict and a target for vandals and arsonists, and so boosting the quality of life for residents around them.

“Empty houses attract anti-social behaviour such as vandalism, fly-tipping and arson and they can drag down a street or neighbourhood. It makes sense that, where appropriate, empty houses are brought back into use.”