Wiltshire Council's empty buildings deteriorate as families wait for homes

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 25 Oct, 06:02 · Archive

Wiltshire Council-owned buildings stand vacant and deteriorating whilst thousands of families wait for social housing.

Council-owned buildings in Wiltshire have been left empty and deteriorating whilst thousands of families wait for social housing, a councillor has warned. Cllr Mike Sankey (Reform UK, Calne North) called for a complete register of Wiltshire Council-owned buildings to be drawn up to identify properties that have stood vacant for years and could potentially be brought back into use. Councillors voted overwhelmingly to send the issue to the council's overview and scrutiny process for further examination.

Cllr Sankey highlighted specific examples of vacant properties, including three-bedroom semi-detached houses at Wiltshire College's Lackham Campus that were "empty and visibly succumbing to damp ingress" and a former caretaker's bungalow at Marden Academy in Calne, which had been "taken over by squatters and used as a drug stand". He said other council-owned buildings had deteriorated so badly that they had "trees growing through the roof". He noted the irony of the authority having previously increased council tax charges on second homes and empty properties whilst having vacant buildings of its own.

Cllr Sankey suggested potential uses for the vacant properties. One site could be redeveloped to provide 10 affordable homes, whilst an old lodge less than 200 yards from the council chamber could provide emergency accommodation for people who were homeless or escaping domestic abuse.

How it is being reported

• Empty council buildings 'deteriorating' while families wait for homesCouncil-owned buildings have been left empty and deteriorating while families wait for social housing, a councillor has warned.Gazette & Herald · 25 Oct, 05:00
• Empty council buildings 'deteriorating' while families wait for homesCouncil-owned buildings have been left empty and deteriorating while families wait for social housing, a councillor has warned.Wiltshire Times · 25 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Wiltshire Council · Cllr Mike Sankey · Wiltshire College · Marden Academy · Calne

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