Make use of empty homes - Tories

Any proposed changes would be politically controversial

The Conservatives say thousands of empty properties across the UK could be used to house those "languishing" on waiting lists for affordable homes.

An estimated 4.5 million people are waiting for social housing, a figure the Tories say is "unacceptable" and likely to rise as the economy weakens.

Existing regulations on building design should be relaxed to allow unoccupied properties to be used, they argue.

The Tories said the move was one of many measures required on housing.

Housing shortage

Government figures show that the number of new social homes for rent coming on stream every year has halved since 1997, the Tories say.

The recession has forced developers to scale back affordable housing projects and the sharp growth in repossessions over the last year has made the lack of low-cost public housing even more critical, they add.

It would be extremely fast compared to getting planning permission for new homes Grant Shapps, Conservative housing spokesman

But the party says the government's attempts to fill the gap by buying up homes from developers have failed to have much impact.

To tackle this shortage, shadow housing minister Grant Shapps proposes making use of the large number of properties across the UK which he says are lying idle.

An estimated 943,000 properties are currently unoccupied, a situation which the Conservatives blame on failures in the planning system during the boom years which encouraged developers to build flats in city centres.

Although some of these properties are currently the subject of repossession orders or other legal disputes, thousands could be brought back to the market relatively easily and quickly.

To allow this, the Conservatives say existing rules governing the size of properties, their suitability for certain kinds of users and what facilities they offer should be temporarily eased.

The current requirement for properties to comply with codes on sustainability - in terms of the materials they use and the impact on the external environment - should also be suspended.

"Some of the rules and regulations in this area are needlessly restrictive," said Mr Shapps.

"Whether there is an extra large door or a shower downstairs are of limited importance."

More flexibility

Housing associations should think more flexibly about the tenancy arrangements they offer, Mr Shapps adds, to capitalise on the availability of the housing stock.

Local authorities should also be given more freedom to match people with suitable properties, not just awarding the first property available the person on top of the waiting list.

The Conservatives accept some of properties in question will require investment in order to make them habitable.

However, they say that the funding for this is available within existing government budgets for new social homes which is currently not being spent.

Mr Shapps said it was clear that this would not "eradicate" the waiting list for social housing but that it would be a start, adding that the sole focus on building new homes was a "mistake".

"It would be extremely fast compared to getting planning permission for new homes," he said of the proposal.

"We could realistically see people being housed within two or three months which would be fantastic."