Proposal to appoint Vacant Properties Officer by Derry City and Strabane District Council

Derry City and Strabane District Council's proposed appointment of a Vacant Properties Officer has been welcomed by Cllr Christopher Jackson (Sinn Féin).

The appointment is part of a pilot project aimed at quantifying and eventually reutilising vacant homes across the three council areas.

Cllr Jackson  said: "I welcome this initiative by the Council which will see a Vacant Properties Officer appointed to lead an important pilot project.

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"The officer will oversee the surveying and verification of vacant properties, map their locations, and explore practical ways these empty homes can be brought back into use," he added.

“Hardly a day goes by without people raising the issue of vacant properties in Derry and across the North.

"Many of these buildings could and should be turned into homes for the thousands of people currently on housing waiting lists or those who have been stuck in temporary accommodation for years.”