New plan to tackle Blackpool's 1500 empty properties
The tougher strategy will tackle the hundreds of properties lying empty in the town – with many falling into disrepair.
Blackpool is set to launch a tougher strategy to tackle the hundreds of properties lying empty in the town – with many falling into disrepair.
Records including council tax and business rates, as well as reports from residents, councillors and organisations such as the police and fire service, will be collated in future to identify vacant buildings earlier.
It is hoped this approach will help the council engage sooner with property owners to offer advice and guidance before a building deteriorates and becomes an eyesore. In the worst cases, this can also lead to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
The proposed strategy was unveiled to councillors following concerns empty properties are blighting many parts of the town, including both residential and commercial premises.
A report given to a meeting of the council’s previous Levelling Up Scrutiny Committee in January this year revealed there were around 50 empty properties in Blackpool at any one time in such a bad state council intervention was required.
It added in total there were around 1,500 empty properties on a fluid list of premises which changes constantly.
Conservative group leader Coun Paul Galley has also previously raised concerns, saying he had personally counted 289 buildings on the Promenade between Starr Gate and Bispham, of which 29 were empty – representing 10 per cent.
Now it is hoped to pool council resources from departments including building control, legal services, council tax collection and environmental health to get a better picture of where empty properties are.
Owners would then be given guidance including around grants and loans available to maintain a property to prevent it deteriorating. But enforcement action would continue to be taken against those who ignore their responsibilities.
Members of the Climate Change and Environment Committee welcomed the proposals and said they knew of many empty properties in their wards.
Coun Diane Mitchell said: “I have a case in my ward of someone who has five flats, but lives in just one and is struggling to know who to contact about this. If we can get properties like this back into use, we can get more council tax in and the scheme will ultimately pay for itself.”
It is now hoped to develop the strategy further ahead of launching it early in 2025.