Edinburgh housing chiefs are yet to receive a single approach from developers to renovate existing homes that have fallen into disrepair almost two years on from appointing a dedicated official to bring unoccupied properties back into use.
Frustrated campaigners found more than 2,000 houses and flats across the Capital have been left to decay in an uninhabitable state rather than being repurposed despite a successful pilot by a charitable trust in an abandoned Niddrie tenement.
But Edinburgh Live understands the local authority is yet to field any bid from a private developer willing to be the first to take on the challenge since the empty homes officer took up their post in January 2020.
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) said the initiative could help the City of Edinburgh Council meet its ambitious target of reaching 20,000 new affordable homes by 2027 in a bid to slow the Capital’s accelerating housing crisis.
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The Fife-based LAR Housing Trust refurbished a six-flat block in Niddrie Mains Terrace as specialist accommodation for adults with learning difficulties after purchasing the crumbling building from the council last year.
The Trust, which now has similar developments planned in a disused Polwarth church and a former naval barracks at South Queensferry, was able to turn round the project in just under six months.
A SEHP report found the proposals had dual benefits in reducing derelict buildings' appeal as a ‘magnet’ for anti-social behaviour and reducing the detrimental related effects for those living nearby.
LAR chief executive Ann Leslie said: “Converting, refurbishing and breathing new life into empty homes and disused buildings is a fantastic way to provide new homes within established communities in a highly sustainable way.
“We took on a derelict block of flats and completely refurbished it inside and out to provide specialist accommodation, working very closely with the Council and Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership to ensure that the flats were fully accessible and met the needs of future residents.
“Our aim is to allow people to put down roots in their local communities and developing empty, derelict properties plays an important role in helping us achieve that.”
Data from the Scottish government revealed Edinburgh was home to 2,183 properties which were classed as ‘unoccupied’ by the local authority.
A report in November revealed 2,100 homes were under construction at 34 sites across the city, adding the council was “on track” to complete its target of 7,500 new affordable properties by March 2022.
However SEHP has called on major developers to do more in utilising empty homes to boost that total.
National project manager Shaheena Din said: “Bringing empty homes back into use offers an opportunity to make quick progress in delivering more affordable housing in Edinburgh.”
“In addition to looking at traditional construction or partnerships to meet affordable homes targets, private developers should consider investing in empty homes’ renovation to help the Council meet their challenging housing targets.”
She added: “Strategic private investment to bring some of the 2,183 homes in Edinburgh that have been empty for more than a year would provide an opportunity to regenerate neighbourhoods and help the council meet other housing needs.”
Housing convener, councillor Kate Campbell, said empty homes with a value of up to £1.5m had been identified since the officer took up their post, adding the authority was “extremely keen” to explore proposals with developers.
She said: "We face incredible pressure on housing supply in Edinburgh which is one of the key factors causing high rents, which is why we have committed to building 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.
"While less than one per cent of homes in Edinburgh are empty for more than a year, we still have close to 1900 cases where we know vacant properties could potentially be brought back into use to provide safe, warm and much needed homes. W
"We therefore encourage any property owner with a house or flat that is currently not in use to contact us so we can help them understand what options might be available and get their property back into use for a household in desperate need of somewhere safe and settled to live."
