A PLAN to reduce the number of empty properties leaving “a scar on town centres and surrounding areas” will be sent to Welsh Government for approval.
Ceredigion County Council’s cabinet signed off a draft action pan for submission at the last meeting of the executive group before May’s election.
On Tuesday (March 15) cabinet member for highways and environmental services, housing and customer contact Cllr Dafydd Edwards, outlined the plan to tackle empty properties in the county that incorporates enforcement measures introduced by Welsh Government.
There is also reference to Cardiff’s transforming towns agenda and empty property management fund which provides a 15-year loan programme to local authorities that want to “undertake enforcement action on prominent town centre empty properties.”
There are currently 16 “priority problem properties” identified for initial focus where there is a detrimental effect on the area or local community, a report to cabinet states.
Other funding is available to bring homes back into use and any enforcement action – including compulsory purchase or enforced sales – would follow if efforts to persuade owners or landlords to do the improvement work fails.
Objectives in the plan include identifying properties and raising awareness with owners, communities, businesses and local councillors, prioritising enforcement action, strengthening existing practices and developing new partnerships to target empty properties.
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