Great British Property Scandal

I was told about this programme by a work college:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-british-property-scandal/4od#3292318

This programme takes a look at the 350,000 long term empty houses across the country (approx the size of Leeds).

George Clarke goes about lobbying MP's into signing a petition, backing his campaign to enable people easier access to these homes.

 

Clarke's proposal is for a change in the law to allow people to get access to empty houses easier and provide a empty property loan so as to enable people to renovate these empties.

Off the back of this programme, various councils across the country have set up specialist teams who deal with empty houses.  This is Leicester City Councils website:

http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council-services/housing/living-in-leicester-and-home-advice/empty-homes/

To get things moving along, a campaign page has been set up off the back of the TV programme:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-british-property-scandal/articles/news/

  

Although I'm looking at development on a greater scale (sizeable brown field sites within the city), these 350,000 long term empty houses throughout the UK represent a sizeable impact on housing.  Instead of developments being made on the outskirts of towns and cities, these houses could be put to better use instead.