Wyre Council purchased its first empty home as part of the Affordable Housing Delivery Programme (AHDP) in October 2024.
Works have been underway from 2024 to create a beautiful 3 bedroom “discount market” home whereby the purchaser owns 100% of the property but only pays 80% of its open market value.
The programme, approved by the council in summer last year, https://www.wyre.gov.uk/planning-policy/section-106-agreements-planning-obligations/1 pledged that £1.4m of developer contributions from housing sites across Wyre would be ringfenced to deliver affordable housing in the borough.
The property is being fully renovated and upon completion, will be put on the market as affordable housing. To date the renovation work includes a full re-wire, internal plastering throughout, front and rear garden clearance, installation of a new kitchen and bathroom plus replacement of all internal doors. Green initiatives such as solar panels and cavity wall insulation have been fitted to ensure the home is affordable and sustainable from the inside out. 
Councillor Le Marinel, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy & Economic Development said:
“We are extremely proud to be able to offer this programme to our residents.
This exciting initiative is ensuring empty, disused, or dilapidated properties are transformed into safe and energy efficient homes for those in need.”
Director of Communities, Marianne Hesketh added:
“This is an innovative way for the Council to turn empty properties into homes for people who ordinarily may struggle to get a foot on the property ladder.
Bringing an empty home back into use provides a multitude of benefits to the community. Empty homes can be a blot on the landscape and attract anti-social behaviour, so by transforming this property, not only do we bring a much-needed affordable home to market we also improve the area for local people”.
Applications will be accepted once the property has been valued.
There will be a financial qualifying criteria and a local connection criteria for buyers. Applicants will be required to meet one (or more) of the local connection criteria's as follows:
- Local residency – they have lived in the local authority of Wyre continuously for the last 12 (twelve) months
- Permanent employment of over 16 (sixteen) hours per week in Wyre
- Close family association – has a parent, adult child, adult sibling who is living in the area of Wyre and has done continuously for the last 5 (five) years
- Are currently serving in the Armed Forces and who are either employed or are resident in Wyre; and
- Former Armed Forces personnel who has a previous residence in Wyre as a result of a former posting in the area of Wyre within the last 5 (five) years.
Once renovation works are complete and the property has been valued Wyre Council will be able to provide more information on the financial criteria.
To sign up to our discount market homes for sale newsletter and to receive notifications for the opening of the application process for this property and future houses visit https://www.wyre.gov.uk/housing-options-homelessness/affordable-home-ownership/3
If you wish to have an informal discussion about this property before completing an application, please contact the Civic Centre on 01253 891000. All applications are considered in strict date order.