27 Sep 2024
Almost half of all council-owned garages are sitting empty – should they be redeveloped for much needed housing?
A report to SADC’s housing and inclusion committee highlighted how only 51 per cent of all of the council’s 1,287 garage spaces – which cover more than 100 different locations – was currently being rented out.
As part of SADC’s Housing Strategy for 2023-2026, the council has been considering whether sites should be retained, refurbished, redeveloped, or disposed of, and a large number have subsequently been included in the district’s draft Local Plan.
Most of the council’s garages date back more than 40 years, and it would cost a significant sum of money to refurbish those in a state of major disrepair.
The most popular sites for occupancy are the city centre, Fleetville and Cottonmill, but other sites are not being used for reasons including being too small for a modern car, remote locations, being in a substandard condition and poor security such as insufficient lighting.
Unused garages typically fall into disrepair and become targeted by anti-social behaviour, which further discourages their use. It is not known how many garages are in use for car parking or storage, but storing personal items can lead to an increased risk of break -in and insurance claims for damaged goods.
There has been a lack of investment in the garage stock due to other competing priorities, including making energy improvements to housing stock.
Those sites with the lowest occupancy rate include Abbots Avenue West shops (33 per cent, 13 out of 40 rented), Drakes Drive (12 per cent, eight out of 68 rented), Thirlmere Drive (23 per cent, 10 out of 43 rented), Creigton Avenue (13 per cent, three out of 23 rented), Wallingford Walk (none out of 45 rented), Cotlandswick (19 per cent, 14 out of 73 rented), Tallents Crescent (15 per cent, five out of 33 rented) and Whitlings Close (none out of 17 rented).
Sites included for potential housing developments in the draft Local Plan include garages at Thirlestane, Cotlandswick, Riverside Road, Chapel Place, Hatfield Road, Verulam Road, Hill End Lane, Malveron Close, Noke Shot, Abbotts Avenue West, Tudor Road, Creighton Avenue, Snatchup, Park Street Lane, Grindcobbe, Thirlmere Drive, Millford Hill, Watling View, Oakley Road, Furse Avenue, Tallents Crescent and Therfield Road.
Chris Traill, SADC strategic director for community and place delivery, said: “We recently carried out a survey of empty garages that we own to assess the best options for the future.
“Once that has been completed, decisions will be made about how to make best use of these assets to the benefit of our residents.
“It may be that we will recommend that some garage sites are best redeveloped or sold.
“In recent years, we have redeveloped several little-used garage sites across the district to create much needed new housing.
“We have delivered 81 new homes, including social rent properties, through these initiatives.
“It is not possible to say how much more rental income can be realised by renting out empty garages until the survey is completed and the results analysed.
“Many of these garages were built some decades ago and are now too small for modern cars. Some of the sites are in areas where there is low demand for garage rentals.
“We will assess what empty garages are suitable for letting, carry out any necessary repairs and advertise them once they are ready.
“This is a work in progress and we are keeping councillors updated with a report to be presented to the housing and inclusion committee in January.
“All decisions will be in keeping with our Garage Management Strategy and Council Plan, details of which are available on our website.”
To rent a garage, SADC charges social housing tenants £13.82/week and non-tenants, £16.58. Anyone interested in can contact the council via their website, www.stalbans.gov.uk/garages, or by email at garages@stalbans.gov.uk. All income from garages is included in the council’s ring-fenced Housing Revenue Account and can only be used for housing-related expenditure.
