Fewer council homes are standing empty across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with a significant reduction recorded over the past five years.
Figures released through a Freedom of Information request show unoccupied council properties have fallen from one hundred and thirty three in 2020 to eighty one as of November last year, a decrease of thirty nine per cent across the area, with nine thousand four hundred and sixty six of nine thousand five hundred and forty seven homes currently occupied.
The homes are managed by BCP Homes on behalf of BCP Council, while demand remains high with three thousand four hundred and one people on the waiting list for a council property as of November last year, and around six hundred homes becoming available each year.
Just over two hundred and ten thousand pounds is being spent maintaining empty homes, covering safety and compliance checks, asbestos removal where needed, and cleaning and decoration to bring properties back up to standard before new tenants move in.
Approval was given in December last year for plans to deliver nine hundred and thirty seven new homes across the area, with two hundred and fifty seven expected in next year and the remainder by 2034, alongside ongoing work at sites including Craigmoor Avenue, Rochester Road and Grants Close, where six new homes have recently been completed.
Share us with your friends on social media, and have a listen to Bournemouth One online and on DAB for all your local news, traffic, jobs, weather, coastal info and more.
Register below for free regular updates via email.