A SCHEME has been set up to tackle the acute shortage of homes for let in scores of North Yorkshire villages.

Ryedale District Council hopes its empty property strategy will bring houses back into use.

Housing services manager Richard Etherington said it was hoped that the initiative would provide much-needed homes and improve the environment.

In a report to the authority's community services and licensing committee, he said: "Empty homes are, at best, a waste of resources and, at worst, a blight on the lives of individuals and communities.

"A property that is left empty for an extended period of time may begin to impact on its surroundings, and in areas where there are housing shortages or issues of affordability of houses, as in Ryedale, it denies housing opportunities to others".

Ryedale has 475 empty homes and more than 100 have been vacant for more than a year.

Mr Etherington said that in some cases, empty houses had an adverse impact on surrounding areas and reduced the value of neighbouring homes by as much as 10 per cent.

Most of the houses were in the market towns of Malton, Norton, Pickering, Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley, he said.

Mr Etherington said: "These properties are potential homes for people who need them, and properties that are not earning an income for their owners."

Ryedale councillors have repeatedly complained that local families are being forced to leave the district because of a shortage of affordable and rented accommodation.

They blame the area's popularity with commuters, people moving in to retire, and second home owners.

As part of its strategy, the council is promoting three grant schemes, each offering up to £10,000 to bring homes back into use.

Grants will also be given to owners of accommodation over shops and to improve properties in multiple occupation.