St Helens Council to 'escalate approach' in tackling housing crisis

Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show that 883 properties were lying empty in St Helens for more than six months in October 2023, a slight rise from the previous year.

Further data shows that there are currently 2,839 empty properties across the borough, although the majority of these have been empty for less than six months.

With many areas facing a shortage of affordable houses as the cost of living crisis rumbles on, unoccupied homes have become more of a prevalent issue as councils such as St Helens look for more powers to bring them back into use.

READ > 'It's very upsetting': Vandals turn over planters created by children's charity

'Who will be seen as priority?'

Hope House supports hundreds of people at risk of homelessness (Image: St Helens Star)
With almost a thousand homes lying empty over the long term, reclaiming these would be a massive help for organisations like Hope House, which supports the homeless or those at risk of homelessness in St Helens.

Located on Corporation Street, Hope House offers free meals, shower facilities, benefits and housing advice, and signposting to those struggling with homelessness, and had more than 400 people using their services over the past 12 months.

Manager Julie Hand said that while the potential to reclaim empty homes is "great news", she passed on reservations about how the process would work and who would get priority.

Julie said: "Although this is great news [for the potential to reclaim empty houses], I believe that this is something that is going to take a long time, so what are councils or the government going to do in the mean time?

"The other question is who will be seen as a priority to access these houses when they’re done. Will the amount of properties they are providing going to match the amount of homeless we have on the streets?

"However, this could bring hope for our future as a charity and to the lives of our service users."

More powers needed to tackle housing crisis

A formerly empty property on Rodney Street (Image: St Helens Star)
With council houses sold off in their millions during the 1980s, the housing crisis has long been an issue but it has become more concerning during the cost of living crisis, with many people priced out of affordable houses.

In order to reclaim properties that have been left empty for months, many local authorities are pursuing council tax premiums, handing out refurbishment grants, and seeking to identify unknown property owners.

Housing secretary Michael Gove also singled out the issue of empty homes in the government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, which allows councils to charge double the rate of council tax on properties that have been empty for at least one year.

Aware of the deepening housing crisis and ongoing cost of living crisis, St Helens Council has also been aiming to reclaim empty homes across the borough and brought 70 properties back into use last year.

Plans to build hundreds more affordable homes will also help with this issue, the council said, and confirmed that it is taking an "escalating approach" to tackle the housing crisis and reclaim empty homes.

Council taking 'escalating approach' on empty homes

Cllr Richard McCauley (Image: St Helens Council)
Speaking about the issue, Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “Unoccupied homes can present real challenges for our neighbourhoods while deepening the national housing crisis, putting more pressure on rents and pushing home ownership out of reach for many in already difficult times.

“We take an escalating approach to dealing with unoccupied homes, tackling issues as they’re reported and proactively targeting properties that have been empty longest – with 70 empty properties brought back into use last year.

“On first referral properties are checked to ensure they are secure and that there are no enforceable hazards, working across our building control, planning and environmental health services.

"We attempt to identify and contact owners to establish the cause of vacancy and persuade them to bring their properties back to occupation, with a range of powers at our disposal, from increased Council Tax on long-term vacant properties, to Compulsory Purchase Orders and enforced sale.

Councillors at the site of a 900-home development at Moss Nook (Image: Harworth)
“The number of long-term vacant properties in the borough reported to Government, where they have been empty longer than six months, was 883 in October 2023, down from the same period a year earlier.

“But we mustn’t pretend that bringing unoccupied homes back into use will solve the housing shortage. More housing, including affordable homes, is needed if we're to ensure everyone has access to a secure, warm and affordable home.

“Our Local Plan will meet this need, with 54 affordable homes completed between April and December last year and planning permission granted for more than 400 affordable homes since November 2023 – including a mix of low-cost home ownership and affordable rent with social landlords.”