There are currently more than quarter of a million long-term empty homes in the UK with a disproportionate number of them in the North East. The most deprived area of the country, with the greatest need for affordable housing, has over 50,000 homes not in use. Data shows that the areas with the highest number of empty properties are Middlesbrough, Durham and Gateshead.
The Action for Empty Homes charity has highlighted how the problem has grown since the last national government empty homes programme ended. Across the country, the number of wasted long-term empty homes has gone up by 30 per cent. "It's shocking to see so many areas blighted" Chris Bailey, National Campaign Manager at Action on Empty Homes, said: “In a national and regional housing crisis it’s shocking to see so many areas blighted by long-term empty homes.
With particularly high levels in Middlesbrough, County Durham, Gateshead and Sunderland. “Newcastle and Northumberland also have high numbers of properties out of use with second homes and Airbnb-type holiday lets also a factor in those two cases. “Wasted long-term empties have risen 30 per cent since the last national government empty homes programme ended and we hope the new Government is going to make up for the mistakes of the recent Conservative ones which have ignored this ready supply of vitally need homes.
” Here is an overview of how many out of use homes are in your area: Darlington - 1,966 Durham - 10,583 Gateshead – 3,584 Middlesbroug.