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Chamber and committees

Question reference: S5W-04902

  • Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
  • Date lodged: 22 November 2016
  • Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 December 2016

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage the development of empty units above shops into residential accommodation.


Answer

The Scottish Government is keen to encourage owners of empty properties to bring them back into use to increase the supply of housing in Scotland. We are tackling the problem through legislative changes, provision of funding, and practical advice and assistance.

We are providing £2.6 million through the Town Centre Housing Fund to bring vacant and derelict town centre buildings back into use as affordable housing. We have made up to £4 million available through the Town Centre Empty Homes Fund to bring empty properties back into use as affordable housing. In addition the
£4.5 million Empty Homes Loan Fund provides loans to owners to help them renovate empty homes and make them available as affordable housing.

We are also funding the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, which has been managed by Shelter Scotland since 2010. The Partnership provides practical assistance to councils and others to help owners bring their empty properties back into use.

At local authority level, the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Act 2012 and its subsequent regulations allow councils to both remove the discount on certain types of unoccupied homes and to increase the level of council tax payable on these properties. 20 Councils are currently applying the vacant dwelling council tax powers with 17 applying the full 100% increase.