GOVERNMENT POLICY ON DERELICT AND ABANDONED BUILDINGS

That this House recognises the devastating effect that derelict and abandoned buildings can have on a community, both commercially and on its landscape; notes that such sites can pose a serious health and safety risk, especially as an attraction to homeless and younger people; further notes the effect of land banking as a barrier to regeneration and to sustainable development; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to allow local planning authorities to tackle sites in their communities including allowing an administration charge to be levied against property owners to cover costs of safeguarding and assessing the site and to introduce a land value tax on vacant sites, similar to that already imposed in Denmark and discussed in the Barker Review 2003, in line with the value of business rates which would be payable if a permitted development had already taken place.