On the 9 September, Councillors will be asked to agree proposals which would ensure a proactive approach by our Council in dealing with derelict buildings across the region.
If agreed, our Council will proactively target buildings and / or sites which are either in serious state of disrepair, derelict or causing serious blight with a view to addressing their negative impact. The starting point for this is positive engagement with property or land owners to seek to identify solutions and investment required to make improvements.
Elected members will also have to decide on whether to resource this proactive approach as there are no dedicated staff dealing with this issue. Addressing derelict properties and sites is complex and time consuming, requiring input from across the Council including legal, property, regulatory, planning, housing and regeneration based services, but the new approach would mean an initial single point of contact for the public.
Other advantages include the ability to build more effective relationships with property and land owners, the identification of actions in conjunction with local communities and better partnership working to bring derelict buildings back into use.
Councillor Colin Smyth, Chairman of the Economy and Environment and Infrastructure Committee said:
“There is a real desire from councillors for a more proactive approach to dealing with the derelict properties that too often plague our communities. We need to get much tougher with the owners of derelict property, as the primary responsibility for the condition of these buildings rests with them. This new approach will mean a new mechanism for dealing with problem owners which includes using the full force of the law when required.”
http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/images/att34159.pdf
