Council continues to fill the voids

The vacant dwelling in Wordsworth Avenue East in Houghton-Le-Spring, was subject to a number of complaints from local residents, after it became a magnet for fly-tipping, waste and vandalism, having been left to fall into a state of disrepair by its absent owner.

It is one of a number of houses that the council has acquired as part of its £59m five-year housing delivery and investment plan, that will see long-term empty properties being brought back into use, deliver more bungalows for accessible living and provide accommodation for vulnerable residents. 

Formal action had been taken by the council to tackle the issues, with the property having stood empty for more than 18 months, but the owner failed to take action to put an end to the misery it was bringing to the lives of neighbours in the street.

The council's planning compliance team became involved, as the property was deemed to be affecting the amenities of the area, and with no positive cooperation from the owner, the authority served a formal notice under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. It was only when the landlord faced prosecution that they started to engage positively and agreed to sell the property to the council.

Councillor Rebecca Atkinson, cabinet member for Dynamic City, said: "Empty homes very often attract anti-social behaviour and other types of public nuisance, so we're determined to ensure that - where property owners are failing to discharge their duty to keep their properties safe and secure, and where they become a blight on communities - we take all steps necessary to resolve the problems they cause.

"It's all part of a wider strategy to ensure that we bring empty properties back into use and build new ones to deliver more family homes and properties that are suitable for people with disabilities."

The council will be bringing more than 360 empty properties into use as family homes over the next five years; delivering 117 new build bungalows; and through new build, conversion and refurbishment, will create 95 new homes as supported accommodation. 

And as this week marks Empty Homes Week, the council will be providing some practical guidance on its social media channels to assist owners of empty properties.

Cllr Atkinson added: "There are a range of reasons why properties can become unoccupied, and as an authority, we will do all we can to support property owners to bring them back into use as quickly as possible, and indeed - as in this case - sometimes buy empty homes and commit to bring them back into use. 

"Sunderland is a great place to live, and there is plenty of demand, so there is no reason why properties should remain empty."

The issues at Wordsworth Avenue were flagged up by Gentoo, after residents in neighbouring properties complained about the issues the homes were attracting.

Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive Officer at Gentoo, said: "We'd received calls from a number of our residents, who were concerned about this empty property, and thanks to the strong partnership we share with the council, we're really pleased we have been able to get this issue resolved and hopefully this will now deliver a lovely new home for a family to enjoy. Gentoo is committed to addressing the affordable homes shortage in the city and working in partnership with the city council is key to this."

This week marks Empty Homes Week. Look out for information and advice for owners of vacant properties at @SunderlandUK on social media.