MONEY has been secured to bring more local empty homes back into use.

South Lakeland District Council has been awarded £60,000 for another round of its empty homes grant management scheme - enough to bring three empty dwellings back into use.

First launched two years ago, the project is designed to help with repairs to vacant homes, to provide more affordable housing.

One of the properties upgraded was a three-bedroom house in Ulverston, now home to a young family. Justine Steel, her partner Will Little and their three children, Alysha, Leon and Alleah, are all still enjoying life in the property on Devonshire Road.

The house had been inherited by its owner, who didn’t want to sell the house but was unable to afford the repairs required to bring it up-to-date, including roofing, repointing and new windows, a new kitchen and bathroom, new boiler, redecoration and new carpets throughout.

SLDC gave a £20,000 grant and work was carried out by scheme partners South Lakes Housing, which found a tenant through the Cumbria Choice lettings scheme.

Under the scheme South Lakes Housing manages the tenancy for five years to provide another much-needed affordable home for rent, while the property owner receives the rental income, less a 10 per cent management charge. At the end of the five years the property is returned to the owner.

Lynne Leach, SLDC’s empty homes officer, says the new scheme has even more flexibility, with owners now able to match-fund repairs up to a further £20,000.

"The property owner can also exit the scheme after two, three or four years if they don’t want to be tied in to the full five years, if they pay back a percentage of the grant awarded," added Lynne.

Homes in council tax bands A to C are particularly suitable and long-term empty properties in Kendal, Ulverston, Grange, Kirkby Lonsdale, Milnthorpe, Staveley and Burneside are eligible.

To find out more, phone Lynne on 01539-793375, or visit www.southlakeland.gov.uk/housing/empty-homes/empty-homes-grant/