East Lancashire one of the worst in the country for long-term empty homes

Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Hyndburn local authorities are all amongst the highest in the country with empty housing issues.

Burnley had the second highest number of empty homes per 100 people in the UK last year at 1.27, according to research conducted by BBC's Shared Data Unit.

Since 2010, Burnley has reduced the numbers of empty houses in the area by almost a third but the leader of Burnley Council, Mark Townsend, said the 'housing crisis' in Burnley still remains.

Mr Townsend said: "We have a crisis with empty houses which have been badly let down by central government since 2010.

"We had a programme to reduce the number of empty homes by market renewal but that was cut by the coalition government back in 2010.

"We have been left with a legacy of homes which are not suitable for a family living in the 21st Century.

"Government intervention is needed to improve housing across the whole borough.

"We have a different housing problem to the rest of the country.

"Many areas are looking to build houses but our problem is we have the wrong types of houses.

"We need to build different houses to what we have got.

"The empty houses we have are based on the old mill town Burnley but that's not what Burnley will be in the future.

"For Burnley its about demolition and building houses that are right for the 21st Century."

Blackburn with Darwen was named third highest on the data unit list with 1.06 empty homes per 100 people.

Since 2010, Blackburn with Darwen has only reduced the number of empty homes by a total of 23, leaving the area with 1,535 empty homes.

Cllr Phil Riley, who is the executive member for regeneration and senior deputy leader of the council, said: "We do not have a crisis in Blackburn but we do have a very large number of houses that have been empty for a long time.

"We are doing something about it and trying to bring houses back using a number of mechanisms.

"The process is laborious and time consuming and a lot of properties are owned by people who do not live in Blackburn with Darwen or the United Kingdom and for various reasons these houses have been bought often with a view to private renting and the owners then lose interest.

"In 2016 to 2017 we brought 167 long term empties back into use and in the first two quarters of 2017 to 2018 we bought 84.

"It is broadly on track for a similar figure at the end of this year."

Pendle is named as the sixth highest on the list, with Hyndburn close behind as the eighth highest local authority.

Over the last six years Pendle Council has reduced the number of empty homes from 1,836 to 900.

Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: "I'm surprised we are sixth highest in the country.

"The council has taken significant steps to reduce the number of empty homes in the area.

"The empty homes we have are pockets in certain parts of the borough but we are working with the owners to put them back into use."

Mayor of Hyndburn Cllr Peter Briercliffe said: "It does not surprise me that there are so many empty houses in Hyndburn.

"It has been a problem over the years in Hyndburn and unfortunately we have some housing stock that people no longer seem to want.

"Empty houses are a problem because they blight the borough and carry severe problems with them.

"It's sad to see Hyndburn so badly placed in terms of empty houses in this report."

Rossendale was also named as high as 17th, while Ribble Valley and Chorley were found to be below the national average.

Ken Hind, the leader of Ribble Valley Council, said: "Empty houses is a problem that needs to be addressed.

"It seems the main problem for Ribble Valley is that we are one of the main destinations of migration from Burnley, Blackburn and Hyndburn.

"Our sister authorities need to seriously address their housing policy. We then won't need to be building more houses and they instead can cater to the person.

"The Ribble Valley does not have the infrastructure to cater for the increased population but the others do.

"It would mean that we wouldn't need to build as many houses as we have done."

From 2010 to 2016, the number of long-term empty homes – defined as unfurnished and unoccupied for more than six months – fell from around 300,000 to 200,000 in the UK.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry said: “The budget statement showed us the challenges we face across East Lancashire with empty housing.

“When so many people want to have a home and can’t afford it I think it’s disgraceful that we have so many empty homes across East Lancashire.

“I call on councils to not just charge the people that have left their property empty but use additional revenues to fund officers to use greater powers to take control of properties left vacant.”

Burnley MP Julie Cooper said: "It's not a surprise to see Burnley so high up on this list.

"Whilst Burnley is a town on the up and the housing situation is dragging us down.

"Some of the houses are in a terrible state of disrepair and I have a great sympathy for people in the area.

"The sooner we address this the better.

"A future Labour government would invest more money to resolve this crisis."