UK's Most Successful Empty Home Scheme

A council's long-running empty homes scheme has now brought a landmark 3,027 properties back into use.  Launched in 2005, Kent County Council's No Use Empty (NUE) initiative has this year returned a record 600 long-term vacant homes to use, and is now the most successful such sheme in the UK. Over the course of 2013, the council has approved loans totalling £2.5 million, making it a record year for investment. The scheme has now received a total investment of £25m, a third coming from the council's empty homes loan fund and two thirds from owners and developers. To date, the scheme has delivered new homes at a cost of just over £8,000 per unit, a fraction of the cost of new-build properties. Read more on 24dash.