Rise in empty homes in Eastwood and Kimberley as more than 2,000 across Broxtowe are unoccupied

The Institute for Public Policy Research think tank said home shortages have increased rents and made home ownership unattainable. It urged the building of more houses to “ensure everyone has access to a secure, warm and affordable home”.

Office for National Statistics census figures show 2,285 of 50,625 total dwellings across Broxtowe borough were unoccupied on census day in March 2021, meaning 4.5 per cent of the 50,625 total properties in the area were empty, up from 3.8 per cent in 2011, when the last census was undertaken.

In England, the proportion of unoccupied dwellings has soared during the last decade, with 1.5 million, 6.1 per cent, empty homes across the country, up from 4.2 per cent in 2011.

Luke Murphy, IPPR associate director for energy, climate, housing and infrastructure, said: “The shortage of homes is putting pressure on rents and pushing home ownership out of reach for many, so it’s concerning the number of unoccupied homes rose in England has risen.

“The Government should look again at policies to curb or control holiday homes, short-term lets, and empty homes. However, we mustn’t pretend this will solve the housing crisis. We must build millions more homes, including affordable housing, if we’re to ensure everyone has access to a secure, warm, and affordable home.”

The proportion of empty homes varied across the country – London had the most unoccupied dwellings at 8 per cent, while the West Midlands, 4.8 per cent, had the lowest. In the East Midlands 120,010 of 2,156,645 total houses, 5.6 per cent, were empty.

Polly Neate, chief executive of housing and homelessness charity Shelter, said: “If we can fill empty homes we should, but we will never solve the housing emergency without building a new generation of good quality social homes local people can afford to live in.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesman said councils should be using existing powers to convert empty properties into homes.

He said: “We have delivered more than 2.2 million homes since 2010 and reduced the number of long-term empty homes by more than 30,000 over the same period. We are investing £11.5bn to deliver tens of thousands more affordable homes across the country.”