Why are Hartington Street houses still empty?
Derby City Council paid £22,472 for work on the houses in Hartington Street.
It was part of a £900,000 facelift scheme designed to improve the area, which residents claimed was becoming run-down and prey to vandalism, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
Locals claim the investment has not worked and believe the empty homes – one of which is boarded up with metal shutters – are the most visible symbol of the scheme's failure.
Larry Jones, who owns a property in Hartington Street, said: "These houses are still empty – it is absolutely outrageous. This is pouring hard-earned taxes down the drain by the bucketful."
Residents now want the council to use legal powers to take over the homes from their current owners and bring them into use.
But Robert Troup, cabinet member for housing and public protection, said the authority could use a compulsory purchase order to buy the houses only as a last resort and there were other procedures first.
And he said that to qualify for funding for the facelift scheme from the Government, at least 45 of the 50 properties in Hartington Street had to be improved.
He said: "The owners of the three properties on Hartington Street are working to bring them back to use and into a better state of repair. However, we will be keeping a close eye on them to make sure that happens."
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