Orbit Communications worked with Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP), which was setup to help Councils bring empty properties back in to use, to publicise new data showing hot spots for empty homes in the Scottish Borders.
Having a large number of long-term empty homes can significantly damage an area by attracting anti-social behaviour, reducing interest in an area for potential buyers, and creating a spiral of decline that harms the local economy.
SEHP has been working with Borders Council to demonstrate the need for an Empty Homes Officer, a position which already exists in 21 local authorities in Scotland, to work with homeowners who want to find ways to renovate a property to bring it back in to use, sell or rent.
Renovating empty homes helps sole traders, independent businesses and local retailers working in building and construction who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Where someone is repairing or renovating an empty home, they are likely to hire local builders and contractors who purchase materials from local suppliers. Scottish Government figures show that every £1 spent on renovating property in Scotland generates £1.60 for the economy.
Reversing empty homes trends in an area and encouraging repopulation also encourages small independent businesses back to the community, creating sustainable regeneration.
The full report on Empty Homes in Scottish Borders can be downloaded here