The war on empty homes – blamed for blight and housing
shortages - is slowly being won across the region, new figures suggest. The
number of vacant properties in the North-East and North Yorkshire fell by
almost 4,000 last year, to 45,846, a reduction of 8.5 per cent. And there has
been much faster progress in tackling long-term empty homes, a decline from
17,816 to 15,243 – a fall of 14.4 per cent. Those homes, without occupants for
more than six months, cause the greatest concern, because they fall into
disrepair and attract anti-social behaviour. Read more on the Northern Echo
website.
