A COUNCIL is taking action to reduce the number of empty properties in Blackburn.

The council has approved its Empty Property Strategy and Action Plan.

Currently, 5.9 per cent of houses in Blackburn are empty, compared with 7.3 per cent in Burnley and 6.2 per cent in Pendle.

In 2006, there were 1,377 properties empty for more than two years and, although they are scattered across the borough, there were significantly higher numbers in Shear Brow, Corporation Park and Wensley Fold.

The strategy, which was approved by the executive board, is based on a borough-wide effort to encourage owners to bring their properties back into use. If owners do not take action, then enforcement action could be taken against them, including compulsory purchase or transfer of the management to a housing association.

Housing standards officers will carry out investigations into each empty property before an action plan is put together.

Coun Salim Lorgat, executive member for housing and neighbourhoods, said: "Empty properties, particularly ones which have been unoccupied for lengthy times, can blight a neighbourhood. An empty house can be a sign of market failure, when actually there may be a perfectly good reason why the property is empty.

"We want to work with owners to persuade them to bring their properties back to use. "