Number 45 Augusta Gardens is the current jewel in the crown of the No Use Empty (NUE) scheme with all those involved in its refurbishment agreeing the before and after photos are the most dramatic yet, and NUE a ‘no-brainer’ in terms of its mission and success to date.
The five-storey town house was inhabited by pigeons and had most of its floors missing when developer Will Brown first got the keys in January 2022 following support from the NUE scheme to initially acquire the property.
It had stood empty for close to 20 years and was the subject of multiple complaints and a petition with a potential compulsory purchase order from Folkestone and Hythe District Council looming.
After a challenging three-year construction project and additional loans from NUE, it now contains five striking flats, with the first tenant having moved in at the end of January. And neighbouring homeowners in the crescent are following suit.
This is the seventh property Will has brought back with NUE and will not be the last. He is next moving on to a site on the corner of Guildhall Street and Sandgate Road in Folkestone town centre.
The original entrance hall to 45 Augusta Gardens
The building was once known as the 'Pigeon Hotel'
Will said: “No Use Empty works for me because the team are really proactive to work with and are a lot easier than traditional lenders. They are a nice bunch of people who look out for you and they want to get the job done.
“The scheme is great because it gives people a job doing up properties, it eliminates eyesores, it helps the neighbours out, it creates housing and generates council tax bills so it’s a win-win.
”If I had gone through a high street lender, this project would have gone bust and 45 Augusta Gardens would have remained derelict. That’s the reality of it. With problem buildings like this, that you can’t really pin your budget down because you keep uncovering issues, they always end up falling through, and you see certain properties in and out of auction for that reason. Unless you can get a good lender then you have no chance.
“People are now proud to own in this street where it once was a no-go. They are now thinking ‘let’s do ours up’ as its not being driven down by this one.”
NUE is a recyclable loan scheme from KCC that as the name suggests is bringing empty properties back to life. First time applicants are offered 0% terms and those returning to the scheme are offered an interest-bearing loan. The terms are robust and the rewards great.
“NUE is an incredible success story and I am proud to say that we in Kent are trailblazers for a scheme that is recognised nationally as best practice for how to implement regeneration economically and effectively.”
Derek Murphy, KCC Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “No Use Empty is an absolutely no brainer scheme. It creates homes and business, benefitting the entire local community, it contributes considerably to the regeneration of the street scene, and raises revenue. NUE is an incredible success story and I am proud to say that we in Kent are trailblazers for a scheme that is recognised nationally as best practice for how to implement regeneration economically and effectively.”
How the basement used to look...
And this is now the living space of one of five new flats in the building
Cllr Rebecca Shoob, Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, said: “It’s wonderful that this property has been given a new lease of life after being an eyesore for so long.”
Steve Grimshaw, NUE Strategic Programme Manager and NUE lead, said: “Watching the video footage again of what it looked like previously and to be stood here now seeing it transformed into five flats on the market for rental is a really good feeling. It has uplifted and regenerate the rest of the street and given it its identity back.
“This is the best property in Folkestone that we have brought back into use of all of the ones we’ve done. If it wasn’t for NUE, I don’t think you would be looking at a project like this because it just wouldn’t stack up.”
45 Augusta Gardens Folkestone now
Since 2005 when the pilot NUE was launched, 8,607 long term empty properties have been brought back into use. The total investment into Kent stands at £109m which is made up of £63m recyclable loans and a further £46m of private and public investment.
The business model is so successful that not only does it operate at zero cost to KCC while reawakening dejected residential and commercial plots in communities from Dartford to Dungeness but is regarded as best practice with economic development teams from councils across the country visiting to see how it is done. Since coming to office, the Government has also welcomed a briefing from the NUE empty team with housing a front and centre policy priority and this an alternative to new build.
Importantly, the scheme has had a positive impact on more than 8,000 people who now live in an NUE home and has safeguarded in the region of 1,800 jobs during the 20 years it has been in existence.
It is estimated there are still 7,500 long term empty properties in Kent that could be transformed through NUE.
Steve will also be a keynote speaker at the national Empty Homes Conference in May in Birmingham.
Further information
- Learn more about No Use Empty here: No Use Empty
- Read more news on NUE here: No Use Empty continues to build - News & Features - Kent County Council
