A new £120,000 Empty Homes Loan Fund has been launched by Angus Council to help bring empty properties back into residential use.

The initiative is being developed with Scottish Empty Homes Partnership as a way to generate more 'affordable' housing the region.

There are an estimated 34,000 long term empty properties in Scotland, with around 1,000 located in Angus.

The council's Empty Homes Officer, Sean Maxwell, said the fund could be described as a "cost-effective measure" to increase 'affordable' housing in the private sector. So far, seven previously unoccupied properties have been made fit to live in and then let at an affordable rate.

-- Advertisement --

Shelter Scotland Director, Graeme Brown said: "Renovating empty properties has a role to play in easing Scotland's housing shortage and we welcome this move by Angus Council to offer loans to people who otherwise couldn't afford to renovate an empty home.

"Proactive work by local councils like Angus can make the difference between a property sitting empty for years, perhaps causing problems for neighbours, and it being transformed into a much needed family home."

(LM)