TORRIDGE District Council and the housing team at the Community Council of Devon are teaming up to identify empty houses in the district to get them back into use.

The start of this new partnership coincides with National Empty Homes Week, an initiative aiming to raise awareness of the potential of empty homes to meet housing need, as well as devise and promote sustainable solutions that will bring empty homes back into use.

The Empty Homes Agency estimates there are almost 16,000 empty houses in Devon alone, many of which could be made into habitable properties.

Anyone believing that a home nearby is empty can contact Torridge's Housing Renewal team by email [email protected]">[email protected] or call 01237 428841.

Empty homes can also be reported anonymously through http://www.reportemptyhomes.com">www.reportemptyhomes.com

National Empty Homes Week runs from November 26 to 30. For more information, call 020 7921 4450 or visit the website http://www.emptyhomes.com">www.emptyhomes.com