£1.8m project to bring empty properties back into use

Empty business properties in Argyll and Bute could be brought back into use thanks to new funding worth £608,000 a year.

Councillors now have the power to change the levels of relief available to empty business premises and held a public consultation on the issue this summer.

The Scottish Government has devolved Empty Property Relief (EPR) to councils, with the funding over the next three years intended to revitalise local communities.

A consultation with members of the public, property owners, community organisations and elected councillors ended in August and the council has now evaluated the feedback.

Policy lead for finance and commercial services Gary Mulvaney said: “There are empty properties of different kinds across Argyll and Bute that we would like to see brought back into use to create increased footfall in our town centres, create employment opportunities, serve as affordable housing or deliver other benefits for people in our local communities.

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“By breathing new life into empty properties, we can create an environment that supports entrepreneurship, encourages investment, and enhances the overall appeal of our towns.

“The consultation with local communities provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities around these properties.

“The clear message from stakeholders across the area was that there is a strong desire for such properties to be revitalised and brought back into use for the benefit of the community.”

Currently empty industrial properties can get 100% relief from non-domestic rates for the first six months they lie vacant and a 10% discount after that.

Most empty properties benefit from 50% relief in the first three months followed by 10% relief thereafter.

However, some businesses can get 100% relief for the whole time a property is unoccupied if they meet specific criteria such as being listed buildings, the owner is deceased, the rateable value is lower than £1,700, insolvency or occupation of the property is prohibited by law.