EDMONTON MP Andy Love is campaigning to get more than 3,000 privately owned properties back into use, to help solve the housing crisis developing in the borough.

Up to 1,150 homeless families in the borough are waiting for permanent accommodation along with 1,685 single people. Current figures show 3,274 private homes are standing empty in Enfield and Mr Love believes that something has to be done.

He is due to raise the matter in Parliament this week and will propose possible solutions such as charging full council tax on empty homes, instead of the current 50 per cent; enhanced compulsory purchase orders for councils to enable them to bring long-term empty homes back into use; or a compulsory leasing scheme whereby the council would have the power to take over a property, renovate it and lease it for a certain period of time.

On a visit to a house in Morley Avenue, Edmonton, which is said to have been empty for more than 20 years, Mr Love said: "It is a real tragedy to see houses run down and empty like this for years.

"With a housing crisis in Edmonton we must press the Government to end the scandal of empty homes."

He added: "I will be calling for local authorities to be given more powers to make use of the many private sector properties that stand empty. This is where the real problem lies."