Derelict Leeds house to be seized by council after becoming magnet for anti-social behaviour
Leeds house abandoned for years set to be taken over by council
A dilapidated vacant house is set to be bought by the council after becoming a magnet for anti-social behaviour
Leeds City Council will use compulsory purchase powers to acquire the property on Inglewood Drive in Seacroft.
A council report said the red brick semi-detached home had stood empty since 2018 on the east Leeds estate.
Complaints were received over the deteriorating condition of the former council house and attempts had been made to carry out repairs.
The report said: “It is in a poor state of repair which has now become a blight on the local community.
“The property’s condition is affecting local residents and all avenues of support to bring the property back into use have been exhausted.”
Following the purchase, the property could be retained as a council house, sold to a social housing provider or put up for auction.
The report said: “Returning the property to a habitable condition stops the property being a nuisance to local residents and prevents the property being a target of anti-social behaviour and falling into further disrepair.”
The council aimed to reduce the number of empty homes in the city under an official housing strategy launched in 2012.
The report said: “The current aim is to maintain that reduction so alleviating the need to build new ones, including reducing the use of green field sites for development.
“The strategy is to continue to maintain the low level of empty properties across the city and help provide much needed homes as part of the overall housing needs of the city.”
If the house was sold on, the owner would be required to carry out refurbishments within a set time scale.
The report said: “All previous compulsory purchased properties have been brought back into occupation via this process.”
Compensation could be payable to the current owner or anyone with a legal interest in the house.