Pendle Borough Reports Nearly 900 Vacant Homes

Officials have reported that close to 900 residential properties are unoccupied within a Lancashire borough. A council report indicates that these vacant properties in Pendle are a source of concern, potentially leading to wasted resources and a rise in anti-social behavior. Despite the borough’s empty homes rate being more favorable than the overall averages for both Lancashire and England, the report states: “We will be targeting these [properties] and, in appropriate cases, be seeking to use compulsory purchase powers to bring them back into use.” Approximately 200 of these unoccupied residences are located in the town of Colne, with 73 having remained vacant for over two years. The report specified that vacant properties constitute 2.1% of the total homes within the borough. It further noted: “This is significantly below the average for Lancashire at 3.4% and the average for England, which was 2.8% in 2023.” According to the report, the elimination of an empty homes officer position from the council’s environmental health department in 2021 has limited the scope of work staff could undertake. However, the borough’s corporate plan has underscored the necessity for a comprehensive stock condition survey of buildings, which is expected to guide a “more robust approach” to the management of empty properties. Councillors have requested periodic progress reports concerning the administration of vacant residences. In recent years, local authorities nationwide have received financial incentives from the central government, through the New Homes Bonus scheme, to facilitate the reoccupation of empty houses or the creation of new ones. These incentives were disbursed to councils, calculated based on the council tax revenue generated from property conversions, re-occupied dwellings, renovations, and newly constructed homes.