Empty and rundown Bognor properties brought back to life

A total of 45 privately-owned homes left to fall into disrepair by their owners have been renovated and sold on within the past three years. This figure is expected to rise further over the coming months.

Some of the buildings had stood empty since the 1960s. Overall they had been empty for hundreds of years.

Councillor Robin Brown, Arun's cabinet member for housing, said: "We know that properties may be empty for short periods for good reason. However, our major concern is with properties that are left empty for considerable lengths of time.

"They represent a waste of potentially-useful living accommodation in a time of housing shortage. They can also become run-down and attract crime and anti-social behaviour. In such cases we try hard to work with the owners to get the properties back into use.

"Compulsory purchase orders will only be used as a last resort, but we hope our recent success with the CPOs will send a clear message to people who are deliberately leaving homes empty."

It is estimated there are around 500 long-term empty residential properties across the Arun District. An empty home is classified as such if it has remained unoccupied for at least six months.

However, Arun does not include holiday homes and second homes within this definition, nor does the council include properties which are being actively marketed for sale or letting.

It is estimated there are more than a million empty homes across Britain.

Richard Cook, the council's empty homes officer, said: "It can often take some real detective work to trace the owners of run-down properties.

"We then offer owners individual, specialist advice and guidance as to how to deal with their properties.

"In many cases we can save the owners thousands of pounds on the cost of repairs and restoration works by certifying the property as eligible for concessionary rates of VAT on the labour and material costs.

"Only in the last resort, where an owner refuses to engage with the council, or where there is a legal impasse does the council need to resort to the use of compulsory purchase."

Cllr Brown added: "I would urge any homeowner struggling to maintain an empty property to call the council.

"We can work together to bring the property back in to use, to give the owner valuable income and maybe even arrange to house a family in need."

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