An old derelict warehouse in the town centre of Dover has been transformed into stunning new apartments thanks to an initiative which is helping create new homes by recycling long term empty properties.
Dover District Council is a founding member of No Use Empty, the Kent Empty Property Initiative, a partnership between Kent County Council and the 12 district councils which is campaigning to bring empty properties back into use across the region. Since the initiative was launched three years ago, over 500 properties have been brought back into use.
The old Victorian warehouse on Worthington Street, in the centre of Dover, had been derelict for over ten years. The current owner, Kent-based property developer Philip Bigio, was granted an interest-free loan a year ago from No Use Empty to meet the renovation costs required to convert the building into luxury apartments.
Now complete, the new Warehouse Caves Court features six 2-bedroom apartments, two loft apartments, private courtyard with allocated parking, security gates and video entry system. In addition to the loan from No Use Empty, a further grant and support has been provided by Dover District Council.
Cllr Sue Chandler, DDC Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing, Local Authority Housing, Landlord Policy and Tenant Affairs, said : “We are working hard to bring regeneration to Dover and the district, the No Use Empty initiative can definitely make that happen and is a great example of working in partnership with Kent County Council to achieve real results. This renovation has given a previously redundant building in the centre of Dover an exciting new lease of life.”
John Day, empty property officer at Dover District Council and member of the No Use Empty initiative said: “The support from No Use Empty has been instrumental in bringing this property back into use. Recycling empty properties creates a win-win situation, for both the local community and the owner.
Owner of the property, Philip Bigio, said: “The No Use Empty initiative has been a tremendous support in facilitating the re-development of the building. We have been able to move quickly, carry out the renovations in under a year, and the net result is a cluster of new apartments in a prime location in the centre of town, which I’m sure will be sought after.”
The objective of the No Use Empty is to raise awareness of the issue of empty housing and the problems it causes to local communities, and to help bring them back into use.
No Use Empty supports the existing work carried out by the 12 local authorities to tackle the problem, giving housing officers access to a wider group of resources, skills and experiences and engaging in a joined-up approach with Kent County Council and bordering districts to achieve improved results in returning properties back to use.
The No Use Empty team urge the public to report properties in their local community which they believe to be long term vacant. To make a report, or if you are an owner seeking more information, for Dover District please contact the DDC Empty Property Officer on 01304 872302 or the No Use Empty campaign hotline on 08458 247 605. For further information on the No Use Empty campaign, visit: www.no-use-empty.org
For further information please contact:
Claudia Robinson: 020 7269 9361 / 07703 330 266
claudia.robinson@fd.com
Notes to Editors
Empty Housing – Key Facts
• Empty properties are a waste of a valuable housing resource. The figure for long term empty homes in England is 290,000.
• There are around 6,000 long term empty properties across the county, potentially blighting neighbourhoods and attracting vandalism. Meanwhile demand for affordable housing outstrips supply
• Empty properties can be a magnet for nuisance activities such as fly-tipping, graffiti, and other antisocial behaviour, such as shelter for drug users.
• Research shows that houses with neighbouring empty properties are at risk of decreasing in value.