Preston Market Hall to host pop ups for National Empty Homes Week

This house in Ingol was the first to be renovated under the Making Homes from Houses scheme

Preston Market Hall is playing host to pop up stands designed to help the city tackle the issue of unoccupied properties.

The pop ups are being run as part of National Empty Homes Week (23 to 29 September).

Staff from Preston City Council and Community Gateway Association (CGA) will be on hand to answer questions and tell people about the Making Homes from Houses project, which aims to renovate long-term empty properties so they can be re-occupied.

The council and the CGA want to help owners bring their properties back into use, saying that keeping property empty can cost nearly £8,000 a year.

A council spokesperson said: “Preston City Council are taking a pro-active approach to tackling the ongoing problem of empty homes in the city.

“We currently have over 1,000 people on our housing waiting list. Many of these people have a long wait for a suitable home as we have a lack of social housing in Preston.

“Renovating and reusing empty homes gives these people an affordable home and helps reduce the waiting list.”

The pop up stands will be running in Preston Market Hall on Thursday 26 September from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, and on Friday 27 September from 11am to 1.30pm.

Visit the Preston City Council website for more information or to report an empty property.