258 homes sit empty and unused for over a decade in Lancashire

258 homes have been empty for more than a decade across Lancashire, council bosses have admitted.

Of the 11,962 properties currently vacant in the region, 2,603 have been unoccupied for more than two years, and 719 which have been unoccupied for more than five years.

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The figures were uncovered by a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrat party.

Nationally the figures show that 216,000 homes have been empty for six months or more, including 60,000 which have been empty for two years or more, and over 11,000 have stood empty for at least ten years.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said: “At a time when the homelessness crisis is worsening and more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a national scandal that thousands of homes across the country are sitting empty.

“The government needs to urgently review the current system which is clearly not working.

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“Councils need to be given the powers and resources to bring empty homes back into use.”

CouncilVacant homes2 yrs5 yrs10 yrsBlackburn1640422114N/ABlackpool1409374N/AN/ABurnley249835616157Chorley993Lancaster City Council10232537130Pendle93220211453Preston125038213554South Ribble6562845334Fylde53877Lancaster City Council10232537130