Empty Ealing homes to be restored

DIY fanatics or those willing to carry out refurbishment works will be offered an equity share, lease or tenancy for their involvement.

A total of £1million from the Mayor's budget will be awarded to Ealing to help reduce the number of empty homes in the borough, which are thought to attract anti-social behaviour and the scheme will also help increase the supply of affordable housing.

Caroline Davey, deputy director of policy and campaigns at Shelter, a homeless charity, said: "Any steps by local authorities to bring empty homes back into use are welcome, particularly if these are used to provide homes for families in housing need.

"However, even if all the empty homes in London were brought back into use, there would still be tens of thousands of households on housing waiting lists.

"Significant numbers of new affordable, family sized homes are urgently needed to ensure that all Londoners can access a home of their own."

In the next year, an audit and assessment of empty properties will be carried out and a skills training scheme will be rolled out by April 2012 aimed at young people.

The council aims to bring back into use 30 properties which have been empty for more than six months, bring 60 up to Decent Homes Standard and reduce the number of empty properties in the long-run.

A council spokeswoman, said: "We would like to encourage residents to get involved in helping us to bring empty properties back into use.

"We will examine examples of best practice from around the country to implement this scheme.

"Schemes will be aimed at young people in particular, in order to provide them with skills and training and encourage responsibility and independence."