Council tax may be doubled on long-term vacant or second properties as part of plans to bring empty homes back into use in South Cambridgeshire.

The aim is to encourage residents to rent or sell their properties to tackle a national housing shortfall - which is particularly acute in the district.

Council estimates suggest there are around 2,640 empty homes in South Cambs, and a further 360 second properties.

Empty properties are at an increased risk of arson, theft, damage, squatting or fly tipping, while overgrown brambles, trees, foliage and ivy can cause damage to shared fencing, roofs and gardens.

There is also a risk of rodent and vermin infestation, particularly if there is a readily available food source.

Cllr John Williams, lead cabinet member for financeCllr John Williams, lead cabinet member for finance (Image: South Cambridgeshire District Council) Owners of empty homes are losing potential rental revenue, and will have to pay costs for rubbish and garden clearance, graffiti removal or boarding up the home - as well as paying increased insurance for an empty or dilapidated property.

The proposal to double council tax on empty and second homes will be discussed in a meeting of South Cambridgeshire District Council's cabinet on Tuesday, November 5.

This comes following the government's introduction of a new law giving councils across England the power to increase council tax if they choose.

If the proposal is approved by cabinet, and then goes on to be approved at November's full council meeting, the changes will come into effect in April 2026.

Property owners will be able to claim exemption in some circumstances. These include homes up for sale or let, properties periodically required for jobs, properties which have undergone probate for a period of up to 12 months after the grant of probate, or property undergoing major work to make it habitable.

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Cllr John Williams, lead cabinet member for finance at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "Our aim is to encourage empty or second homes back into use.

"If given the go ahead the change would also indirectly support the growth of local businesses and economies by encouraging an efficient use of local housing.

"Homes that lay empty for a long time are a waste of a scarce resource."