MORE than 2,400 desperately needed homes are sitting empty across Devon, with 196 of them left vacant for more than five years, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

And just 127 empty homes across the county were brought back into use by councils in the 12 months up to April last year.

The figures, uncovered through Freedom of Information requests, show that there are more than 214,000 homes across the country that have been empty for six months or more.

Of these, 61,251 had been empty for two years or more, 23,596 for five years or more, and more than 10,923 have stood empty for at least 10 years.

LibDems say that local councils across Devon have also failed to make use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO), powers used by local authorities to take over properties that have been empty for at least two years. This, the party says, is despite the fact that some local families have spent Christmas without a home.

Nationally only 19 of the 247 councils in England and Wales that responded (the powers do not apply in Scotland) had used an EDMO in the past five years. Of these only six had used one in the past year.

Cllr Alan Connett, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Devon County Council said: “I was shocked to learn just how many empty homes there are across the county, and especially by how many have been empty for five years or more.

“We’ve all seen the homelessness crisis is worsening and more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a scandal that so many homes locally are sitting empty.

“These homes could be turned into affordable places to live for those that need it across Devon. I suspect that there are more empty homes than we know about as some councils appear not to have provided figures."

North Devon District Council has 653 empty homes, 149 of them have been empty for two years.

East Devon District Council disclosed there are 479 empty properties, 89 for two years, 28 for five years and 12 for 10 years.

Teignbridge District Council confirmed 361 empty homes, 119 for more than two years, 52 for five years and 24 for 10 years.

Mid Devon District Council has 356 empty homes, 67 for two years, 30 for five years and 27 for 10 years.

Exeter City Council reported 333 empty homes, 77 empty for two years, three for five years and one for 10 years.

Combined, there are 2,437 empty homes across Devon, 562 of them empty for two years, 117 for five years and 79 for 10 years.

No figures were provided for South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council.

Cllr Connett added: “The Government needs to urgently review the current system which is clearly not working and local councils need to be given the powers and resources to bring empty homes back into use."

Figures for Torbay have been excluded and appear not to have been provided for Plymouth.

Alan Quick