More action to bring Whitecross Street back to life

A row of rundown buildings in a popular market street face a Compulsory Purchase Order to bring them back into use.

The nine empty properties at 141-157 Whitecross Street, EC1, are in a road which is home to one of London's oldest street markets, as well as shops and cafes.

Islington Council officers have been in contact with the buildings' owner about how to return them to use, but efforts have so far proved unsuccessful.

Now Islington Council's executive is being asked to use the council's compulsory purchase powers to bring them back into use, possibly as social housing and shops.

Cllr Terry Stacy, Islington Council's Executive Member for Public Protection, said:

"These empty buildings are a blight for neighbours and a waste of shop space and valuable housing, which Islington is crying out for.

"The council is determined to take action to sort these buildings out for residents.

"The Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process is not an easy one, and we'd much rather work with the owner, but we're not just going to sit back and let these buildings rot."

EC1 New Deal for Communities is helping the council with the CPO process and Chair of the board, Matthew Humphreys said:

"Whitecross Street has seen a major transformation over the past couple of years.

"Our investment has helped smarten up the area and brought the market back to life.

"These buildings are a real eyesore and stand out more then ever now.

"We want to see them done up and put to good use."

David Ireland, of the Empty Homes Agency, also backed the move.He said:

"There are approaching a million empty homes in the UK, and with the housing market in the doldrums it has never been more important that councils intervene to help turn them back into homes.

"Most property owners want their properties occupied but where they don't it is right that councils should use thier powers like this to get things moving."

Islington Council's Executive will consider whether to agree to the CPO at its meeting on January 15.

If the CPO is agreed by the council it will then be sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government for approval.