13 March 2019
Bournemouth Council data shows there are 998 empty homes in the town. However, the Conservative-run council has never used the "empty dwelling management order" powers available to get homes back into use.
Meanwhile, latest figures show that average rents in Bournemouth are now increasing by 5%
Simon Bull, Green Party councillor for Winton East, said: "Empty houses are a waste. We've got a lot of people on the housing list, a lot of people need housing, and the council should do more to press these houses into use."
Winton resident and local activist Chris Rigby added: "When you combine this with the increase in rent which has been happening in Bournemouth year on year, 5%, you can start to see why we've got a housing issue here. And it's a crisis not just in Bournemouth but nationally as well. It's really not a sustainable way of looking at utilising our resources which we have.
"Bringing these empty houses back into use is really, really important to stop development on the green belt surrounding Bournemouth."
Sources:
Bournemouth Echo, "Bournemouth council has never used empty dwelling management order", 13 March 2019 https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17497397.bournemouth-council-has-never-used-empty-dwelling-management-order
Bournemouth Echo, "Rents up by five per cent in Bournemouth over past year alone", 19 June 2018 https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16299130.rents-up-by-five-per-cent-in-bournemouth-over-past-year-alone
