2,000 properties stand empty
MORE THAN 500 HAVE BEEN UNUSED FOR TWO YEARS
THERE are more than 2,000 properties standing empty in North East Lincolnshire which could be put to use to help housing demand. The properties are spread across the borough and range from small flats to large houses with multiple bedrooms.
The majority of them have been empty between a day and two years, with 502 of them empty for more than two years – 148 homes have been empty for more than five years. Properties can remain empty for periods of time for a number of reasons, from the owner passing away or from financial problems.
It could be that the property is awaiting demolition or requires some maintenance before another tenant can move in or for it to be sold.
Whilst empty properties tend to attract fly-tipping, vandalism and antisocial behaviour, not all empty homes are problematic.
Some homes that have been reported as being empty are regularly maintained by their owners. Councillor Callum Procter, portfolio holder for economic growth, housing and tourism at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “Empty homes can become a blight on our neighbourhoods. Unfortunately, this is an issue that is not unique to
North East Lincolnshire. Councils up and down the country are fighting to get empty homes back on the market, providing much-needed homes for residents. “Council and Engie officers carry out a huge amount of work to reduce the number of empty homes that we have in our area, meeting with investors and property owners to try to iron out any issues that may be causing a property to stand empty for long periods of time.
“I would always urge potential investors to get in touch with our housing improvement team to discuss the prospect of investing in an empty property locally.
“Likewise, those property owners who are struggling to sell a property should get in touch with our team. We can explore the issues you’re facing and try to find a solution.
“I am pleased to say that Council Officers have been really proactive and innovative in their approach, working successfully with local housing charities, enabling them to acquire empty units, that no-one else wanted. One such example is East Marsh United.”
Last year North East Lincolnshire Council announced that they had been working with community group East Marsh United to set up the area’s first community housing landlord, which now owns three properties which had previously stood empty for a lengthy period of time.
These properties were renovated using local labourers and have since been successfully rented out to local people.
To report an empty property, visit nelincs.gov.uk, email homeimprovementteam@nelincs.gov.uk, or call 01472 326296.
THE project that will see big changes made to Grimsby’s town centre has had to be scaled-back due to a funding shortfall of several million pounds. North East Lincolnshire Council was originally asking for £25 million from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund to go towards a £35 million plan for the major regeneration of the town centre, which would see a brand new market and cinema built in Grimsby’s Top Town area.
However, while the area was awarded the seventh highest figure out of the 101 towns that applied for funding, it came out at £17.28 million, £8 million short of what was asked.
The council has since been asked to resubmit the plan for the project, which had to meet the same objectives as the original submission, as well as remain in the same area.
In a Special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening, we were given the first look at the new plan for the town centre, which will include a smaller cinema. Devonshire House will no longer be bought by the council. The planned food and beverage units on the outskirts of the market have also been axed, with two stalls inside Freshney Place being used as part of cost-cutting measures.
The entrance to the shopping centre will be moved further back, resulting in an extended outdoor square.
The changes to the scheme now need to be resubmitted before February 26 to ensure the council receives the £17.28 million towards the project. Introducing the update, Council leader Philip Jackson said: “Cabinet will remember that we submitted a bid under the future high streets fund to Government last July for a grant contribution of £25m towards a £35m scheme to transform and repurpose the western end of Freshney Place. “We had a good Christmas present from government in that on Boxing Day we heard that we’d been granted £17.28 million of the £25 million we had requested.
“Of the 101 towns that had submitted a request under the future high streets fund, we were number 7 in terms of the size of the grant that we’d received, and it is the largest amount of single grant funding that North East Lincolnshire had ever received.
“In that respect it was very good news.
“The slightly less positive aspect is that we were £8 million short against our original request for £25 million, which meant that we had to reconsider the scheme and make some changes and amendments to it in order to be able to resubmit it by the end of next week, February 26, to ensure that we do receive that grant funding.
“So the government is basically asking for an amended scheme to fit in with the slightly reduced amount of grant funding we had been given.” Damien Jaines-White, the deputy director of Regeneration for the council, gave an outline of the project and its new changes.
He said: “We were looking at building a new market, some food and beverage units on the market’s boundary, and a new cinema-led leisure hub, with a public square to really draw people into the development and have a new access to Freshney Place. “That’s what the scheme was looking like back in July when it was submitted, so we’ve been working very hard over January and February to look at how we can adhere to the requirements of government with a more constrained financial envelope.
“The scheme now, is in principle terms, still looking at a market without the units on the outside, taking over some units within Freshney Place and repurposing them, so some efficiencies there.
“Then two small potential food and beverage units, and then having a smaller cinema.
“We’ve been talking to a wider cinema market, and certainly there’s some positivity there, on the basis that there is an endgame in terms of Covid – and also a smaller leisure box.” Mr Jaines-White also confirmed that Devonshire House would no longer be bought, and that the council may save further funds by only partially demolishing the old BHS building, rather than doing a whole new build. He continued: “We are still buying the properties around the corner up to, but not including, Devonshire House now.
“The reason for that is if you don’t include those [properties] it makes it very challenging to open up this space to help draw people into Freshney Place.
“So we’re not including Devonshire House, but we are still very much wanting to engage the owners so we are talking to one another as the scheme develops.
“The entrance to Freshney Place will be moved back from the original location, which will save some money as well.
“It could be the case that part of the BHS building is demolished, more the frontage area with the rear retained, because that could save some money.
“But, at the moment, because that will be subject to intrusive structural surveys, we do not know.
“We’re looking at this on the basis that it will likely be a whole new build, but there is a potential that it is partial.”
The report was passed unanimously by the cabinet, with the council pushing forwards ahead of the deadline on Friday, February 26.
Supporting the report, Councillor Stan Shreeve said: “I very much welcome what we’ve seen today because it’s clear that the fundamentals of the original scheme are still in place.
“I also welcome the interest that has been received from the cinema industry, as I personally have a great belief that a smaller cinema would be highly appropriate in the circumstances.”