First-time house buyers helped by RCT improvement scheme

The project aims to tackle poor housing stock, antisocial behaviour and eyesores

First-time buyers are benefitting from a pilot scheme breathing new life into empty homes, a council has said.

Homeowners can receive up to £20,000, plus £5,000 for renewable energy measures, as part of the initiative in Rhondda Cynon Taf, to transform empty buildings into liveable homes.

Between September last year and March this year, the council received 173 applications and handed out £2.4m.

The aim is to tackle poor housing stock and eyesores.

• Number of empty homes up 40% to 27,000

• Second homes 'crisis' prompts 20-mile march

• 'Massive risk' of tackling empty homes due to cost

The council said the Welsh Government scheme had also helped alleviate anti-social behaviour hotspots as well as enabling first-time buyers to get on the property ladder.

The second part of the scheme continues until March 2021.