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Transport, Local Government and the Regions - Sixth Report

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Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 5 March 2002.

CONTENTS

Terms of Reference

REPORT

Conclusions and recommendations




I. INTRODUCTION




II. THE NATIONAL PROBLEM

The size of the national problem
The number of empty homes

The quality of information

Transactional vacancies

The consequences of the national problem

The causes of the national problem

Effectiveness of central and local Government measures

Action by local authorities
Empty homes strategies and officers

Compulsory purchase of individual houses

Compulsory leasing

Voluntary leasing

Fiscal measures

Measures introduced in the 2001 budget

Council tax on empty homes

VAT on refurbishment

Using empty property to meet housing need

Better management of the public sector stock

Regeneration of social housing

Licensing private landlords




III. FAILING MARKETS

The scale of the problem of failing markets
The number of properties affected by failing markets

The speed of change

The identification of decline

The consequences of empty homes in failing markets

The costs to individuals

Costs to the wider community

Growth of the private rented sector

Estate agents

The cost to organisations working in the area

Local authorities and other public agencies

Registered social landlords

The causes of empty homes in failing markets

The decline in the attractiveness of inner urban areas

Factors which cause the suburbs to be more attractive

Future trends

Effectiveness of measures to improve the situation

Crime and anti-social behaviour

Movement from high to low demand areas

Between regions

Movement within conurbations

Measures targeted at houses and homeowners

Neighbourhood renewal

The extent to which neighbourhood renewal is achieving its objectives

The limitations of the neighbourhood renewal approach

The need for a new strategy

A new approach targeted at the conurbation or sub-region

Creating areas where people want to live

Intervention across the conurbation

Timescale

Funding

Gap funding for housing schemes

Community consultation

Compulsory Purchase Orders

Housing markets at risk

Managing change

Regional intervention

Housing Corporation

Regional Development Agencies

Planning

Targets to reduce the vacancy rate

Housing capacity

Local plans

Housing market renewal

A Housing Market Renewal Fund




Conclusions and recommendations

LIST OF CONCLUSIONS

ANNEX 1

ANNEX 2

APPENDIX

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE RELATING TO THE REPORT

LIST OF WITNESSES

APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

LIST OF MEMORANDA

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS COMMITTEE REPORTS IN THE CURRENT PARLIAMENT




MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

Wednesday 24 October 2001 (HC 240-i)
Tuesday 6 November 2001 (HC 240-ii)
Wednesday 21 November 2001 (HC 240-iii)
Wednesday 5 December 2001 (HC 240-iv)
Wednesday 12 December 2001 (HC 240-v)

MEMORANDA - VOLUME II (HC 240-II)

APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME III (HC 240-II)

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Prepared 20 March 2002