Scheme to revamp more than 1,000 homes planned for Pendle

8:00am Sunday 14th October 2012 in News

A SCHEME to breathe new life into around 1,170 empty properties in Pendle is being considered by the council.

Pendle Council has drawn up an Empty Homes Plan, which covers 2012 to 2014, to bring as many of the homes back into use.

Coun Joe Cooney, leader of Pendle Council, who also represents housing and regeneration, said: “Bringing empty homes back into use is vitally important for the borough.

“It is a way of increasing the supply of housing and reducing the negative impact that neglected empty homes can have on our communities.

“And the more houses we have in use, the more people we have investing in our local economy.

“We believe that, as a council, it is our duty to do everything we can to bring empty homes back into use and contribute to the vitality and sustainability of Pendle.”

The plan has been drawn up to reduce the negative impact that empty homes can have and also to increase the supply of housing in Pendle.

Coun Tony Beckett, who represents the chief executive’s policy unit, said: “We have recently secured over £1.3 million of external funding from the Government to reduce the number of empty homes in the borough.

“This money will be used to help deliver actions in the Empty Homes Plan.”

As well as creating the financial assistance scheme other actions include working with the owners of empty properties to bring them back into use and developing a toolkit to help them, and targeting the homes that have been empty for the longest period of time.

Councillors will discuss the action plan at a meeting on October 18.

Comments (10)

8:20am Sun 14 Oct 12

coates warder says...

any chance of where all these houses are ?which towns i bet most are nelson and brierfield thats why he has not said where they are in pendle.
any chance of where all these houses are ?which towns i bet most are nelson and brierfield thats why he has not said where they are in pendle. coates warder

9:52am Sun 14 Oct 12

jimpy0 says...

All owned and allowed to fall into ruin by our asian bretheren, so they can be granted as usual - then sold on for a tidy profit !!!!!
All owned and allowed to fall into ruin by our asian bretheren, so they can be granted as usual - then sold on for a tidy profit !!!!! jimpy0

12:32pm Sun 14 Oct 12

HairyBowls says...

Yes to both of the above... Its an organised scandal...
Yes to both of the above... Its an organised scandal... HairyBowls

3:01pm Sun 14 Oct 12

ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123 says...

so they can then sell to absent skank landlords so they can let them on to skank tenants,on housing benefits then in no time they go back to the condition they were in before thousands were spent on them.logic from pendle council yet again
so they can then sell to absent skank landlords so they can let them on to skank tenants,on housing benefits then in no time they go back to the condition they were in before thousands were spent on them.logic from pendle council yet again ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123

3:19pm Sun 14 Oct 12

Malthus says...

As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.
As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing. Malthus

6:11pm Sun 14 Oct 12

peely says...

Malthus wrote:
As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.
I couldn't,t have put it better myself! Well said sir !!
[quote][p][bold]Malthus[/bold] wrote: As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.[/p][/quote]I couldn't,t have put it better myself! Well said sir !! peely

9:09am Mon 15 Oct 12

Joseph O'M says...

Malthus wrote:
As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.
Malthus wrote:
"The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life." Maybe the houses could be sold by the council at a reduced rate to those young people who helped restore them - this would be a good way for youngsters to get on the housing ladder and remove power from irresponsible landlords who don't care about the houses they own, the tenants that rent them, or the areas their houses are in. Blackburn with Darwen Council should seriously consider doing this with all the empty terraced properties in the Griffin area - they're only empty because of the ill fated pathfinder Housing Market Renewal scheme, and were all occupuied until 18 months ago - they'd make lovely houses and wouldn't be too hard to do up - they'd also make fantastic first homes for young couples.
[quote][p][bold]Malthus[/bold] wrote: As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.[/p][/quote]Malthus wrote: "The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life." Maybe the houses could be sold by the council at a reduced rate to those young people who helped restore them - this would be a good way for youngsters to get on the housing ladder and remove power from irresponsible landlords who don't care about the houses they own, the tenants that rent them, or the areas their houses are in. Blackburn with Darwen Council should seriously consider doing this with all the empty terraced properties in the Griffin area - they're only empty because of the ill fated pathfinder Housing Market Renewal scheme, and were all occupuied until 18 months ago - they'd make lovely houses and wouldn't be too hard to do up - they'd also make fantastic first homes for young couples. Joseph O'M

3:55pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Izanears says...

Malthus wrote:
As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.
Never have truer words been written.
Well said malthus.
[quote][p][bold]Malthus[/bold] wrote: As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.[/p][/quote]Never have truer words been written. Well said malthus. Izanears

10:03pm Mon 15 Oct 12

katypri says...

make the owners bring them up to scratch at their own cost if they refuse compulsive purchase them thats what happened years ago why should we pay when they buy a house for 10,000 pound you do them up then they have a 60,000 grand house i dont think so i bought a repo and could not get any of the scemes that were on the go i wonder why maybe my english name
make the owners bring them up to scratch at their own cost if they refuse compulsive purchase them thats what happened years ago why should we pay when they buy a house for 10,000 pound you do them up then they have a 60,000 grand house i dont think so i bought a repo and could not get any of the scemes that were on the go i wonder why maybe my english name katypri

2:33pm Tue 16 Oct 12

Malthus says...

Joseph O'M wrote:
Malthus wrote:
As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.
Malthus wrote:
"The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life." Maybe the houses could be sold by the council at a reduced rate to those young people who helped restore them - this would be a good way for youngsters to get on the housing ladder and remove power from irresponsible landlords who don't care about the houses they own, the tenants that rent them, or the areas their houses are in. Blackburn with Darwen Council should seriously consider doing this with all the empty terraced properties in the Griffin area - they're only empty because of the ill fated pathfinder Housing Market Renewal scheme, and were all occupuied until 18 months ago - they'd make lovely houses and wouldn't be too hard to do up - they'd also make fantastic first homes for young couples.
An excellent point with regards the Griffin area. In fact it was a consequence of me walking through that area which prompted my initial thought's on finding a solution to these doomed, repairable properties.
[quote][p][bold]Joseph O'M[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Malthus[/bold] wrote: As previous posters have stated, once again we have a situation were properties have been allowed to fall in to total disrepair until such times as the money to pay for the repair and refurbishments are paid for from the public purse. Once this as been done the current owners will then let them at exorbitant rents which will probably be paid via housing benefit. What should happen in situations such as this, is the houses should be subject to compulsory purchase orders. The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life. Once the buildings have been restored they should then be let at reasonable rents and not the excessive rents that private landlords now charge. Instead, we will probably get the short sighted approach, which generally happens and this will result in a few people accruing a massive property portfolio and becoming very wealthy whilst those who have paid for the work receive nothing.[/p][/quote]Malthus wrote: "The houses then should be renovated by the local authority or housing associations using a mixture of skilled people who pass on their skills to the young unemployed people in the local community in the form of apprenticeships. Such a strategy would then generate income for the community, also reduce the benefits bill and provide a wasted generation with the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to enhance their prospects in life." Maybe the houses could be sold by the council at a reduced rate to those young people who helped restore them - this would be a good way for youngsters to get on the housing ladder and remove power from irresponsible landlords who don't care about the houses they own, the tenants that rent them, or the areas their houses are in. Blackburn with Darwen Council should seriously consider doing this with all the empty terraced properties in the Griffin area - they're only empty because of the ill fated pathfinder Housing Market Renewal scheme, and were all occupuied until 18 months ago - they'd make lovely houses and wouldn't be too hard to do up - they'd also make fantastic first homes for young couples.[/p][/quote]An excellent point with regards the Griffin area. In fact it was a consequence of me walking through that area which prompted my initial thought's on finding a solution to these doomed, repairable properties. Malthus

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