SENIOR Borders councillors will next week be recommended to agree an allocation of £700k to ensure that around 28 empty homes are brought back into use.

The most common barrier for empty homeowners is the financial cost of making homes habitable, according to the local authority.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) has had an Empty Homes Grant Scheme running since September 2022.

It offers up to £25k to owners of empty homes which have not been used as residential accommodation for at least one year and require a package of renovation works to bring the property back into use.

The grant has been available to owners wishing to live in the property or to rent the property within the private rented sector, at an affordable level.

In May 2024 the Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency, with the First Minister recognising that investment in housing needs to be a fundamental part of delivering a fairer Scotland.

Scottish Borders Council also declared a housing emergency in May this year.

The SBC Empty Homes Grant Scheme is supporting 19 projects with a total grant allocation of £467,244. Of these projects, seven homes have been completed and are occupied, and a further four are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

When members of SBC’s decision-making Executive Committee meet on Tuesday, October 8, they will be recommended to commit further funding of £700k for the scheme over the next four years.

In a report to the committee, Nuala McKinlay, SBC’s director of corporate governance, says: “Empty homes represent a wasted resource in the Borders which can also cause significant problems for neighbours and surrounding communities.

“It is recognised that working pro-actively with owners to bring homes back into use can be time consuming and complex, and it is also recognised that one of the most significant barriers to bring homes back into use are the associated costs.

“The grant assistance provided so far has proven successful, and to build on this achievement it is proposed that an additional £700k is allocated from second homes council tax affordable housing budget to facilitate the continued provision of the Empty Homes Grant Scheme up to the end of March 2028.

“The £700k would equate to 28 homes being brought back into use over the next 3.5 years if every applicant required, and was eligible for, the maximum grant level. It is estimated that around two thirds (19) of these homes would be at an affordable rent.

“This additional grant allocation could unlock additional investment for refurbishment works. Based in the pilot scheme this is estimated to be around £2m.”