Reusing empty properties in the built environment

1 Recent context
2 Policy, programmes and campaigns
3 Empty homes initiatives
4 Current programmes
5 Previous programmes
6 Across Europe
7 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Recent context

On 16 November, 2025 the Environmental Audit Committee published their Environmental sustainability and housing growth: Sixth Report of Session 2024-26 which suggested that the UK vacant properties rate might be roughly equal to the Labour Government's new homes target of 1.5m. Whilst MHCLG estimates of around 720,000 unoccupied properties and Historic England suggests repurposing existing buildings, such as commercial properties and historic buildings, could create 670,000 homes, other studies show potentially double this, yet tax treatment favours demolition and new-build.

The accredited official statistics for Dwelling Stock Estimates, England: 31 March 2024 (published 22 May 2025) note that as of 31 March 2024 England had 25.6 million dwellings, an increase of 221,070 dwellings or 0.87% on the previous year. Of which 16.5 million were owner-occupied dwellings, an increase of 175,000 dwellings on the previous year, 4.9 million dwellings were private rented dwellings, an increase of 15,000 dwellings on the previous year, 4.2 million dwellings were social and affordable rented dwellings (Private Registered Providers plus Local Authorities), an increase of 33,000 dwellings on the previous year and 29,000 dwellings were other public sector dwellings, a decrease of 1,800 dwellings on the previous year. It also notes that there were 719,470 vacant dwellings in England on 7 October 2024, an increase of 20,344 or 2.9% from 699,126 on 2 October 2023. 264,884 represented long-term vacant dwellings an increase of 3,410 or 1.3% from 261,474 on 2 October 2023.

The MHCLG previously published vacant dwellings table (live table 615) brings together figures on all vacant dwellings and all long-term vacant dwellings in England at local authority district level from 2004 (when records began), drawn from several separately published sources. The England figures have been previously published within the Council Tax base statistics. The Council Tax Base reports on dwellings on the Council Tax list, and whether they are receiving discounts or are being charged premiums. This includes dwellings that have been reported as empty (ie unoccupied and unfurnished) for the purposes of council tax, and so may be subject to a discount or not, charged a premium or fall into an exempt category. The all vacants figures will also include properties that have a council tax exemption. The data are reported from all local authorities and taken as a snapshot of their Council Tax administration system in October.

[edit] Policy, programmes and campaigns

Whilst efforts to bring empty homes and under-used commercial buildings back into residential use have become a major policy across the UK and Europe the issues persist. Rising housing demand, combined with growing numbers of long-term vacant properties, post-pandemic surplus of office space and increasing consideration of embodied carbon in new materials, has perhaps pushed governments to rethink how existing buildings can best be utilised. Rather than relying solely on new construction, national and local authorities continue to explore ways to find and track empty properties and potential grants, planning support, and community engagement to investigate how properties and neighbourhoods can be revitalised. The aim being to unlock dormant areas in the built environment with potentia uses, and the regeneration of neighbourhoods, to support more sustainable, resource-efficient urban development aligning with circular economy.

As cities in the UK, Europe and globally seek to address both housing shortages and climate goals, bringing empty spaces back into use has become one of the most impactful and forward-looking strategies available. However significant barriers continue to exist in many cases, such as for example the tax advantage of new build over refurbishment seen in the UK or use classes in many cities that restrict the conversion of properties from commercial to residential. But directed government strategic policy, targeted funding, and regulatory reform can help accelerate adaptation and reuse of empty or obsolete buildings and help ease the housing crisis.

Ireland and Wales have implemented grant-based approaches, the Scottish Matchmaker Scheme for empty homes connects availability with need, in England greater localised powers and funds aim to facilitate community regeneration whilst in France a legislative overhaul aims make office-to-residential conversions easier. Such programmes can help create new homes, revitalise town centres, reduce environmental impacts, avoid demolition, and make better use of public and private built assets. However, whilst these initiatives surely help, they are not new and the statistics soberingly highlight that essentially the narrative has not changed. As such there are a number of grass roots, voluntary, charitable or non governmental programmes that aim to spur action, in some cases these align also with government initiatives, some of which are described below. Several examples of public-policy programmes in the UK and in Europe from the past and present designed to bring empty buildings back into residential use have and are being trialled, these are also listed. In some cases

[edit] Empty homes initiatives

[edit] Action on Empty Homes

https://www.actiononemptyhomes.org/ campaigns to bring empty homes across England back into use. Influenced: The creation of Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) powers for councils to tackle long-term empty homes (from 2004). The reduction of the rate of VAT charged on empty homes renovation work (from 2007). The New Homes Bonus being applied to long-term empty properties returned to use (2010). Removing automatic Council Tax discounts on empty properties (from 2013), Government funding of National Empty Homes Programme (2012-2015). The new second homes tax, giving councils discretion to charge additional council tax of up to 100% on furnished homes not used as a sole or main residence. Planning permission will be required for future short-term lets/Airbnbs (2024). Registration Scheme to acquire the first official national data on short lets/Airbnbs (2024). Council tax legislation allowing local authorities to apply tax premiums to homes left empty for just one year instead of two (2024).

[edit] ASTOP Limited

https://astop.org.uk/good-causes/ ASTOP Limited was launched in May 2013 by founder and CEO, Shaylesh Patel. With nearly two decades of unique experience, ASTOP and its associates have been helping, advising and supporting commercial landlords, developers, their agents and ESG / CSR budget holders with their property, financial and other important business objectives. Unlike its competitors, ASTOP has focused on building an unrivalled network of ethical players in the commercial property and third sectors across the UK. The net result is one of the largest coordinated charity, local community and business networks ever seen. Through this network, Shaylesh Patel and his ASTOP team have helped repurpose over 500+ vacant sites, that would otherwise have remained empty and unused – benefitting both landlords and communities through a symbiotic commercial combination of business rates relief and charitable activities.

[edit] Dont Waste Buildings

https://www.dontwastebuildings.com/ voluntary effort to put a spotlight on up-front, or embodied, carbon and make the case for the productive use of empty and underperforming buildings. Untapped economic and social assets, not structures to be casually discarded. They could be utilised to deliver much-needed housing and development at greater speed, lower cost and with less of an impact on our environment. A non-party political group run by a collection of individuals made up of leading property developers, financiers, architects, engineers, heritage experts, and others. Regional UK Chapters launched in the West Midlands (Birmingham), North West (Manchester) and Scotland, and we launched our first international chapter in Australia (Melbourne). A voluntary group, with no funding, membership fees, sponsorship or commercial interests of any kind. This allows us to maintain independence and to focus on achieving key objectives: Policy clarity and financial incentives to make the reuse of existing buildings simpler and more profitable in order to stimulate growth in the housing and development sector.

[edit] The Empty Homes Network

https://ehnetwork.org.uk/ "Supporting the people who bring empty property back into use for housing" The Empty Homes Network (EHN) is the successor to the National Association of Empty Property Practitioners (NAEPP). NAEPP was established in May 2001 to support people involved in delivering empty property strategies. It was launched by empty property practitioners with the support of government ministers, the Housing Corporation and the Empty Homes Agency.

[edit] Empty Spaces to Homes Habitat for Humanity GB

Empty Spaces to Homes led by the NGO Habitat for Humanity GB in cooperation with local councils, it works closely with public bodies to convert vacant commercial, retail or office spaces into social housing or affordable dwellings. The model aims to show how redundant non-residential buildings (shops, offices) can be repurposed as homes, offering a scalable, socially-minded response to housing shortage.

[edit] No Use Empty Initiative

https://www.no-use-empty.org.uk/: The primary aim of the No Use Empty Initiative is to improve the physical urban environment in Kent, by bringing empty properties back into use as quality housing accommodation and to raise awareness of the issues surrounding empty properties, highlighting the problems they cause to local communities.

[edit] Current programmes

[edit] Pride in Place programme (England)

Pride in Place programme (England) aims to see up to £5 billion given to nearly 250 areas across the UK, each area receiving up to £20 million of funding and support over the next 10 years to make long-term improvements, part of a drive to give local areas “the resources and tools to drive change themselves.” Although not directly focussed on empty properties these funds may also be used to bring empty properties, such as on high streets, into reuse as part of a regeneration scheme.

[edit] National Empty Homes Grant (Wales)

In the National Empty Homes Grant the Welsh Government has prioritised and is committed to supporting individuals to bring empty homes back in to use to help re-generate communities and provide much-needed affordable housing for individuals across Wales. Applicants who meet eligibility criteria can receive up to £25,000 toward essential repairs needed to make an empty home safe, secure, energy-efficient, and free of category 1 hazards. Owners must contribute 15% of eligible costs (up to £3,750) unless facing financial hardship. Only works identified by the Local Authority surveyor are eligible, and no grant is given for repairs under £1,000 or for work done before approval. If repair costs exceed £25,000, the applicant must fund the difference. Grant payment is released only after all approved work is completed, certified, and a Legal Charge is registered against the property. The grant must be repaid if the home is sold or not occupied as intended within five years.

[edit] Vacant Homes Action Plan (Ireland)

Vacant Homes Action Plan (Ireland) 2023‑2026 is a broader strategic plan launched by the government to reduce vacancy and dereliction in residential and former-commercial properties nationwide. It includes funding streams, a data collection exercise to allow local authorities to better identify empty and derelict buildings, and provides for measures such as compulsory purchase orders for badly neglected properties — all aimed at bringing more empty homes back into use.

Building Adaptably: How the construction sector can future proof Irish cities. CIOB. CIOB’s report says if adaptability requirements had been in place when they were first built, the current mismatch of commercial versus residential real estate may not exist. It adds building adaptability is also environmentally sustainable as it avoids the need to demolish and rebuild, which reduces the embodied carbon footprint of the construction sector. The key recommendations in CIOB’s report are:Introduce a mandatory requirement for adaptability assessments at the planning stage to ensure new developments are designed with future change in mind. Require planning applications for large-scale commercial or residential projects to include renovation and conversion scenarios as part of their design proposals. Offer tangible incentives, such as expedited planning approval to developers who adopt innovative, future-ready construction methods. Embed design-for-adaptability criteria into public land sales and procurement contracts to ensure publicly funded or facilitated developments are future-proofed for changing uses.

[edit] The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (Scotland)

https://emptyhomespartnership.scot/ The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) is funded by the Scottish Government and hosted by Shelter Scotland. Assisting to bring getting approximately 43,500 privately-owned long-term empty homes back into use at a time of a housing emergency. A national online portal to help bring empty homes back into use, connecting property owners with potential buyers, developers and local authorities. Building on successful local “matchmaker schemes,” the portal is part of a £2 million investment to accelerate the return of vacant homes and expand empty homes officer support. Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan highlighted the importance of using existing housing stock to address the housing emergency, noting that nearly 13,000 empty private homes have been brought back into use over 15 years, including a record 2,066 last year. The scheme allows owners to list properties for free, with most local schemes transitioning to the national platform. The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership emphasised that every empty home represents an opportunity to boost housing supply and support those in need.

[edit] Previous programmes

Empty Homes programme, HCA allocated £100 million through 2 rounds of the Empty Homes programme, to bring empty properties back into use as affordable housing, a further £30 million also made available to community and voluntary groups via a separate funding programme run by Tribal Education on behalf of government. Withdrawn in September 2016 when funding to bring empty properties back into use as affordable homes then transferred to the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme.

The Empty Houses Community Grants Programme (EHCGP) was a UK-government funding programme that ran from 2012 to 2015 (withdrawn 2016) providing grants to community groups, local councils or voluntary organisations to acquire, refurbish and re-let long-term empty homes, bringing them back into use as affordable housing.

Right to Regenerate scheme was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government and proposed to allow members of the public (individuals or community bodies) to require public authorities to sell underused or unused publicly-owned land, buildings or garages. Thus enabling them to be redeveloped or converted into homes, community facilities, or other productive uses, unlocking unused public assets, giving communities direct access to convert unused assets into housing or local-use buildings.

Clusters of Empty Homes Programme, launched around 2011-2012, to provide funding for local authorities to tackle clusters of poor-quality, empty homes in low-demand areas, with drawn 2016. It sought to tackle clusters of empty homes that can often attract anti-social behaviour, vandalism and fly-tipping to neighbourhoods with £50m of Government funding available to tackle concentrations of empty homes and Local authorities expected to match fund bringing it to £100m.

New Homes Bonus was introduced by the coalition government in 2011 to provide a financial incentive for local authorities to increase the number of homes. It continues to be supported by Labour as part of a drive to empower local decision making, a grant paid by central government to local councils to reflect housing growth in their areas. Based on the amount of extra council tax revenue raised for new-build homes, conversions and long-term empty homes brought back into use, with an extra payment for providing affordable homes.

Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (under Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund)
Launched in 2022, this grant provides financial support to renovate vacant or derelict homes (or properties previously non-residential) to bring them back into residential use — either as owner-occupied homes or rental units. Grants of up to €30,000 (or up to €50,000 / €70,000 for more derelict properties) are available. The scheme has successfully helped bring thousands of vacant or derelict properties back into use across Ireland.

[edit] Across Europe

Repurposing Vacant Spaces into homes. Collection of Best Practices. Across Europe, vacant buildings coexist with rising homelessness and housing exclusion. This collection of best practices, compiled by FEANTSA with the support of the Laudes Foundation, showcases innovative projects and policy solutions that transform unused spaces into homes. From temporary shelters to long-term housing models, these examples demonstrate how repurposing existing buildings can provide dignified, affordable housing while promoting social inclusion and sustainability. The initiative highlights what’s possible when local authorities, NGOs, and communities work together to address both housing needs and the climate crisis.

Reclaiming Vacant Spaces to Tackle Housing and Homelessness Crises in Europe examines how vacant buildings—residential, commercial, historical, and institutional—can be repurposed to address urgent housing needs. Published by FEANTSA and supported by Laudes Foundation, the report maps vacancy rates across Europe, explores legal and policy frameworks, and identifies the barriers and opportunities linked to conversion. With over 47 million dwellings unoccupied across the EU, yet over 1.2 million people facing homelessness, the report argues that repurposing is a promising but underused strategy. It highlights the importance of aligning vacancy initiatives with local housing needs, ensuring affordability, and promoting sustainability through the reuse of existing building stock. Combining data analysis, policy review, and case studies, the report offers a practical framework for stakeholders to mobilise vacant spaces as part of a broader strategy to combat housing exclusion.

France 2025 building‑conversion law (Law no. 2025-541, June 2025) France adopted new legislation in June 2025 to encourage and simplify the conversion of vacant offices and other non-residential buildings (hotels, carparks, commercial premises) into housing. The law gives municipalities more flexibility — for example granting mayors the power to override certain local-planning regulations, and introducing a “multi-purpose building permit” that makes it easier to change a building’s usage from office to residential and back. The aim is to unlock a large pool of underused commercial real estate and relieve housing shortages in major cities.

Empty Spaces to Homes (Europe) (across multiple European countries including Poland, Croatia, Hungary, UK)
Run by Habitat for Humanity International (and associated local Habitat chapters), this Europe-wide initiative aims to convert vacant and under-utilised buildings — including offices, commercial properties and unused housing stock — into affordable, energy-efficient homes. By 2030, the programme targets to work with many European cities to repurpose a substantial share of empty properties, providing social housing and supporting “green” renovation.

Tools to Deal With Vacant Housing (2023) Housing Europe Obseervatory. Vol 7. Housing in the Post 2020 EU.This briefing focuses exclusively on vacant residential property, using the term “vacant property” to mean housing unless otherwise stated, and “owner” to refer either to the legal or beneficial owner, with distinctions made only when necessary for policy clarity. Section 1 examines how vacancy is measured, why homes become vacant, the different types of vacancy, and the impacts empty properties have on communities. Section 2 explores “carrot” policies—such as grants, loans, and alternative rental arrangements—that support owners and others in returning empty homes to use, while Section 3 reviews “stick” measures including fines and penalties designed to increase the cost of holding vacant property and encourage owners to sell or rent them out. Section 4 addresses vacancy clusters, where multiple empty homes create negative cycles for neighbourhoods but also present opportunities for coordinated renewal and district-level regeneration, aligning with broader European efforts like the EU’s Affordable Housing Initiative.