More than 6,000 homes in Manchester have been empty for at least six months, the M.E.N has learned.
The city was ranked second highest nationally for the number of ‘long-term’ vacant properties in a league table released by the government.
Ministers said 5.1 per cent of all houses in Manchester – a total of 10,972 – had been empty for half a year or more in October 2008.
A council spokesman said the figure had been slashed but admitted 6,273 properties were still on the list.
The league table was released by housing minister Ian Austin in response to a parliamentary question by Conservative shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman.
It raises concerns about the quality of housing in Greater Manchester at a time when millions of pounds have gone into regeneration projects.
Salford was third, with 3,960 of its 104,325 homes (3.8pc) empty for half a year or longer.
Bolton (3,289 out of 199,254), Oldham (2,440 out of 92,639) and Macclesfield (1,844 out of 70,509) also featured in the lower half of the top 20.
Mr Austin said vacancy rates could reflect ‘an over-supply of accommodation (and) the redevelopment of an area’ as well as ‘the standard of accommodation and in some circumstances individual failure to maintain a property in good repair’.
A Manchester council spokesman said: "Manchester is on an improving trend.
"Our most recent statistics show that the number of long-term empty social rented properties in Manchester is 394 while the number of long-term empty private properties is 5,879.
"Although this figure is considerably lower than that the 2008 figure, we recognise that it is still too high. That is why we are focused on addressing the problem of empty properties and developing solutions to return them to occupation.
"A significant number of these are awaiting demolition as part of ambitious regeneration programmes, and in addition we are currently negotiating challenging targets for reducing the number of empty properties over the next five years.
"We are confident we will continue to see a year on year reduction in the level of empty properties across the city."
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Our most recent statistics show that the number of long-term empty social rented properties in Manchester is 394 while the number of long-term empty private properties is 5,879.
I dont believe those figures, I can point out about 200 empty social homes in clayton alone.
There are about a thousand city centre apartments that are empty too.
I was in town with soem friends last Saturday and they remarked on the Beetham Tower being lit up in the top half. I explained that it was because for years most of the aprtments were empty but now most many are occupied by social housing. Our flagship building and it is full of council flat residents!
And yet they want to build more apartments!
There are about a thousand city centre apartments that are empty too.
I was in town with soem friends last Saturday and they remarked on the Beetham Tower being lit up in the top half. I explained that it was because for years most of the aprtments were empty but now most many are occupied by social housing. Our flagship building and it is full of council flat residents!
And yet they want to build more apartments!
Audenshaw Bob,
Moron.
Our flagship building and it is full of council flat residents!
And yet they want to build more apartments!
Audenshaw Bob
'Our flagship'? Isn't Audenshaw in Tameside? I thought it was when I lived there.
salfordrat - explain??
We had thousands of workers "all working" in the 1900s and all had homes until the "Slum clearance of the 1960s/70s etc but what was built in their places was sub standard and didnt last very long so the housing stock over the years declined due to MCC not maintaining the existing council stock and the poor staff management "four workers doing the job of one man" MCC have never given the ratepayer value for their money.And now theve given planning to developers for very expensive housing and appartments way to expensive for the people.So what did MCC DO they gave all their housing stock to housing associations to get rid of the mess that the council had created.
No reply from Salfordrat but why call me a 'moron'? As Ace said we have all of these expensive aprtments, many are empty and have been handed over to housing associations including soem in the Beetham Tower. It seems idiotic to build more when we have enough whiite elephants so how does that make me a 'moron'?
A 'moron' would suggest building more flats that can stand empty.
salfordrat has the same mentality as MCC councillors "not very clever" he would no doubt build thousands of very expensive homes that stand empty and then give himself a pat on his own back to say how well he has done. "Built homes that people cannot afford"? now thats a moron.
"We had thousands of workers "all working" in the 1900s and all had homes until the "Slum clearance of the 1960s/70s etc but what was built in their places was sub standard and didnt last very long so the housing stock over the years declined due to MCC not maintaining the existing council stock and the poor staff management "four workers doing the job of one man" MCC have never given the ratepayer value for their money.And now theve given planning to developers for very expensive housing and appartments way to expensive for the people.So what did MCC DO they gave all their housing stock to housing associations to get rid of the mess that the council had created." - Ace Riley, outofhisbox
Oh, how those former slum dwellers must miss traipsing to an antiquated 'thunderbox' in the depths of winter.
How appealing it must have been (every two months), to have enjoyed the comfort of a rusty, tin bath, set before dying embers of a meagre fire... before allowing the kids in it after dad had washed the family veg.
And, I'm sure the womenfolk loved having to crack their drawers of frost and ice as they removed them from washing lines on bracing, soot-filled mornings in January... them were the days, eh?
But the media have us believe England is full! There is no more room for anyone, yet there are all these empty properties??
Laura Norder, Didsbury my mother lived in a council house in burnage the downstairs toilet was old and decrepid.the upstairs bathroom was something from the 1940s/50s and was in a terrible state the bath was rust and both the hot and cold taps leaked for years and the electrics were dangerous and most of the windows were knackered and yet she paid a fortune in rents .And the amount of times she asked the council to do work? councils answer was they didnt have enough money,and yet they kept taking a rent from her for doing absolutely nothing.sub standard housing at expensive rents.the houses we came from in longsight had outside toilets but were better than the so called council property....
So THAT'S why they're demolishing all those houses off Tartan St in Clayton. Not to build newer, more modern houses to better suit the modern family or to build flats that no-one living locally would ever be able to afford.
It's so Manchester can say "Look, we've got rid of 4,000 empty properties"
No wonder the population in East Manchester is dropping, there's nowhere to live.
@Andanotherthing, where are these 200 social houses standing empty? I've only ever seen private houses abandoned, the council houses are all full up and there's a waiting list. I wish there were 200 houses, I've been waiting for one for 2 years.
no wonder they are empty need bulldozing enough said |||| remind me of the old viaduct st grass and trees would be nicer
I said many years ago that they were building more "Luxury" Apartments after more, but not building on getting business into Manchester so people will buy or rent them. I hope the bit about Beetham Tower is true, I am sure like me they love their lifts smelling of smoke and drugs and dog pee. All the councils need their heads testing for granting planning permissions to all these developments.
And I want my 4 bedroom duplex in Beetham Tower please.
No reply from Salfordrat but why call me a 'moron'? As Ace said we have all of these expensive aprtments, many are empty and have been handed over to housing associations including soem in the Beetham Tower. It seems idiotic to build more when we have enough whiite elephants so how does that make me a 'moron'?
A 'moron' would suggest building more flats that can stand empty.
Audenshaw Bob,
What a leap! When did I suggest building anything? Were did I suggest anything other than that you are an idiot? This is the kind of thing I am talking about. The reason I said the word 'moron' was because of your impilication that there is something inherently wrong with those who live in council housing. It really was that simple. And now you wil say that you didnt imply any such thing and I will have to explain to you - the author of the comment, that you did and why you did. Hence..........
Laura Norder - do you ever go out? You are like a bully, a little gang leader on here with all your opinions on everything.
Sad.