Hull City Council has allocated funding to Giroscope to bring up to ten empty homes back into use as social housing.
West Hull-based Giroscope, which specialises in buying and renovating long term empty homes, has received £370,000 from the Right to Buy Replacement Programme Fund. There is also the option for further discretionary funding (up to 10 per cent of the original grant) to reflect increases in costs during the renovation work. The money itself is from capital receipts received by the council from the sale of council homes to its tenants.
Mark Nearney, Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods and Housing said, “It’s imperative that we use every tool at our disposal to provide as many houses as possible for social rent. As well as building our own houses, it makes sense that the council works with partner organisations like Giroscope when opportunities such as this arise.
Empty homes blight local communities. Bringing them back into use not only provides much needed, quality homes for rent, it improves the look of the area and reduces the problems that attract anti-social behaviour and pest infestations.
Martin Newman, Giroscope Coordinator, said “Giroscope is pleased to continue its partnership working with Hull City Council. This grant will assist our work in bringing back empty and dilapidated properties into use as social housing. The demand for housing in the city at the moment is greater than ever and we are proud to be working with the council to develop new homes”
