Clegg announces plans to bring empty Yorkshire buildings back to life

THE deputy prime minister has announced plans to work with local government, businesses and charities to bring back to life some of Yorkshire’s empty buildings.

Instead of leaving properties empty, Nick Clegg wants to help match-make entrepreneurs and community groups with local authorities and land-owners to find temporary uses for vacant buildings and land.

In Sheffield, the move could see a new future for Castlegate and the New retail quarter.

He is forming a group to investigate how more vacant buildings and land across the North can be brought back into temporary use. The task force will explore sites with potential across Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

The working group will present their findings to the Deputy Prime Minister in January. They will outline the barriers and solutions to getting more empty properties back in use and the aim will be to have blueprints for action – with private sponsorship where necessary – for each of the cities before April 2015. More detailed agreements would follow as soon as possible in 2015, according to the deputy prime minister.

Clegg said: “Leaving useful land in the North to languish is not only bad for business, it can hamper the success of an area in so many ways. Which is why I want to see empty buildings brought back to life and back in business.

“We need to understand what stands in the way of some of the most incredible space in the country being used, and make things more flexible so that we can fill these buildings with artists, start-ups, and other entrepreneurs to restore the buildings’ purpose and appeal.

“Through my Northern Futures initiative, I’m championing innovative ideas from people in the North to build a stronger economy and fairer society.”