A campaign to bring disused, empty homes back into use in Britain has gathered pace with a record number of people signing a petition that looks set to spark a debate in Parliament.
Some 93,000 people have signed up to an online petition, following architect and campaigner George Clarke’s broadcast series The Great British Property Scandal.
Aired on Channel 4 this week, the campaign netted 50,000 online sign-ups within 24 hours of the first show, and is now close to the 100,000 signatures needed to table a debate in the House of Commons.
Clarke wants the Government to establish a National Low Cost Loan Fund to help homeowners bring their properties back into use and help people buy empty homes to support an estimated two million families languishing on housing waiting lists across the country.
Political parties on both sides have lent their support to the campaign, with communities minister Andrew Stunnell calling the latest figure of 279,000 long-term empty properties across England a ‘national scandal.’
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter said: ‘With homelessness rising and millions priced out of the housing market, it is simply wrong that homes stand empty while people across the country are desperately in need of a roof over their head.
‘Brining empty homes back into use could help ease our desperate shortage on housing, and channel 4’s empty homes programmes will make a huge difference in highlighting the housing crisis we currently face.’
