Time to end the scandal of empty homes as demand for housing soars
Why is this purpose-built residential accommodation empty?
It is strange to read about student life at Sheffield Hallam’s Woodville back in 2013 - it seems so long ago now.
Pranks, boozing, nights out and rivalry between floors at this accommodation block in Broomhall.
It sounds like jolly japes among carefree youngsters enjoying their first time away from home.
Back in the day this was also a red light area and male students would be propositioned on their way home.
But times change and today Broomhall is very different.
It is a leafy, quiet, historic suburb awash with stone-built Victorian villas, within walking distance of the city centre and famous Ecclesall Road, the city’s new West Street.
The kind of place where many young people would want to live.
But it appears Woodville has been empty for more than a decade. And only now is it being sold off as the university focuses on its new city centre campus and bolstering its finances.
Which is shocking.
Demand for housing is at an all time high and swathes of the city’s green belt is under threat to meet government targets.
Only this week the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced reforms to allow councils to take over empty homes after just six months and return them to occupation.
So why is this purpose-built residential accommodation empty?
And how many similar buildings which could meet housing demand are out there?
University and public sector bosses can’t be unaware of the need - or the part they can play.
It’s time for them to take urgent action, or for action to be taken for them.