Government report seeks to shed light on vacant properties

Fri, 30 Aug 2019

By Ewan Gawne - Local Democracy Reporter

A review published by government shows there were 6,470 properties left unoccupied on the Island in 2016, a vacancy rate of 15 per cent.

The figure comes from data compiled by the Economic Affairs division, using ‘newly-analysed’ data from the last census.

The vacancy rate has nearly doubled since 2001, when it stood at eight per cent.

With the exception of Bride, all areas across the Island saw the number of unoccupied properties increase between 2001 and 2016.

Douglas had the highest number with almost 2,500, but the vacancy rate was highest in the parish of Rushen, at 21%.

You can read the report in full via the government website.