The Cabinet (Housing) Committee of Stockport Council met on Wednesday 5 November 2025 and approved the principle of using compulsory purchase powers to acquire six long-term empty properties. This decision aims to bring these derelict homes back into use, addressing blight in local communities and increasing the housing stock.

Use of Compulsory Purchase Powers for Long-Term Empty Properties

The committee resolved to approve the principle of using compulsory purchase powers (CPO) under section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 to acquire six long-term vacant properties. These properties, located at 34 Bodmin Drive, Bramhall; 48 The Broadway, Bredbury; 1 Deniston Road, Heaton Moor; 39 Geneva Road, Bramhall; 177 Hyde Road, Woodley; and 73 Crossefield Road, Cheadle Hulme, have been empty for many years and are in a poor state of repair, causing a detrimental impact on their local environments.

Councillor Jake Austin, Cabinet Member for Housing & Environment, presented the report, highlighting that these properties had been vacant for a significant period with no realistic prospect of being brought back into use by their owners. He explained that CPO powers are a last resort, used only after sustained efforts to engage with owners have failed. The use of these powers would allow the council to repair and renovate the properties, returning them to the housing market and removing them as a blight on the communities within which they were set.

The committee noted that the Housing, Economy & Environment Scrutiny Committee had previously considered the report and broadly welcomed the proposals, expressing a desire for further use of these powers for other empty properties across the borough. It was also emphasised that CPO powers are just one part of a wider strategy to bring empty properties back into use.

The decision also delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with Councillor Austin, to take all necessary steps to secure the making, confirmation, and implementation of the CPOs. This includes preparing documentation, serving notices, and presenting the council's case at any future public inquiry. The council's One Stockport Housing Plan (September 2022) supports the bringing of long-term empty homes back into use through robust enforcement options, including CPO where necessary. The report detailed the specific issues with each property, including complaints of vermin, anti-social behaviour, overgrown gardens, and disrepair, and how each property scored highly on the council's inspection scoring matrix, indicating their poor condition and social impact.

The use of compulsory purchase powers is governed by legislation such as the Housing Act 1985 and is subject to considerations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights, ensuring that any interference with property rights is justified in the public interest and proportionate. The council also confirmed it had due regard to its Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equalities Act 2010. Financially, the council has secured funds to undertake this CPO project, with any surplus from the sale of renovated properties to be ring-fenced for further empty property enforcement work.