THE owner of an abandoned house in Winterbourne has been prosecuted for failing to maintain the property.

Keith Bannerman, 61, of Blackhorse Road in Downend was prosecuted by South Gloucestershire Council for failing to comply with a Community Protection Notice on an empty house he owns in Sandstone Rise, Winterbourne.

At a hearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 28, Mr Bannerman was ordered to complete work on the building by May 28. He was also told to pay £2,000 in costs to the council, a £20 victim surcharge, and was handed a conditional discharge for 12 months.

The house in question is an unfinished residential new build. Work on the property began in 1996, but was abandoned over six years ago. Prominent and unsightly scaffolding structures were left in place, along with overgrown and untidy gardens.

Mr Bannerman was served with a Community Protection Notice, requiring him to complete the external works, tidy the land and remove the scaffolding by September 20, 2017.

None of the work, aimed to improve the external appearance, was ever started and meanwhile the condition is still deteriorating.

The notice also required Mr Bannerman to carry out the ongoing maintenance of the property and the land.

Cllr Erica Williams, cabinet member for housing delivery, said: “We are working to bring long term empty properties in our area back in to use and help meet the local housing need.

"Where necessary, we will use enforcement powers to bring empty properties back into use, and to require an owner to maintain the property in reasonable condition if it is adversely affecting the locality.

"Allowing empty properties to continue to have a detrimental effect on the local neighbourhood will not be tolerated.”

Residents who are effected by an empty property that is causing problems are encouraged to report it by contacting South Gloucestershire Council's empty homes officer by phone: 01454 865565, email: psechousing@southglos.gov.uk or via: southglos.gov.uk/emptyhomes

Empty home owners who are undecided what to do with their property can contact South Gloucestershire Council’s empty homes officer for help and advice. Alternatively, the West of England empty homes service ‘No Use EmptyWest’ offers help and assistance to empty property owners, including financial loan assistance, advice, help with buying or selling via an interested purchasers list, a lettings service, and a dedicated website with lots of information: no-use-emptywest.co.uk