0:00:02 > 0:00:04Over the years, Britain's Empty Homes has been on a mission
0:00:04 > 0:00:07to show what can be done to revitalise and transform
0:00:07 > 0:00:12some of the UK's estimated one million empty properties.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13- Hi, is it David?- Hi, Joe.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15- Cathy, how are you?- Nice to see you.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18In this series, I'll be catching up with some of the people
0:00:18 > 0:00:21who took the plunge and staked everything on turning
0:00:21 > 0:00:23unloved houses into bespoke family homes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Today, I'll be catching up with a sculptor from a previous series
0:00:31 > 0:00:33who was looking to strike a work-life balance
0:00:33 > 0:00:37by converting an old warehouse into a studio and a home.
0:00:37 > 0:00:43I keep having to pinch myself just to realise that it's all real.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We will also be visiting some of the derelict dwellings
0:00:46 > 0:00:49that our property detectives have been working hard to save,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53in order to prevent their owners from leaving these places
0:00:53 > 0:00:54as a blot on the landscape.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58It is like a new house compared to what it was before.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00It was virtually falling apart.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03And we'll see how the attempt to quell the housing shortage
0:01:03 > 0:01:05in the Brecon Beacons is going.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08It is not just the house, it is everything that goes with it as well
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and those are the things that galvanise a community together.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17A year ago, I met George Triggs, a sculptor with a young son
0:01:17 > 0:01:22who'd taken on a derelict warehouse to use as both a studio and a home.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25MUSIC: "I Need A Dollar" by Aloe Black.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Artist George was on the lookout for a home he could both live
0:01:28 > 0:01:33and work in and he found what he hoped would be the ideal place
0:01:33 > 0:01:35in his home town in Shropshire.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I think getting that life-work balance with a property
0:01:39 > 0:01:40is something I've always wanted to do.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45Really so I can get more work done and also involve, Seth, my son,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49give him space to run around and play and get creative as well.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52This 2,000-square-foot warehouse
0:01:52 > 0:01:55had been empty for a year before George took it on.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Previously used by a building storage company,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02George was quick to spot its potential both as an artistic space
0:02:02 > 0:02:04and a possible home.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05What was brilliant about the property
0:02:05 > 0:02:07was the fact it was just an empty shell
0:02:07 > 0:02:12which means you can pretty much do anything you want with it, really.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17As a first-time renovator, George was on a steep learning curve
0:02:17 > 0:02:21but with his artistic eye, he had an inbuilt advantage.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25I am really looking to get a really slick finish, to be comfy,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and to have lots of light which I think is important for life,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31for playing, but also for work and for sculpture.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36There have been lots of delays with planning, with submissions,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38with charges I wasn't aware of
0:02:38 > 0:02:41and it all takes a lot longer than you think it does
0:02:41 > 0:02:43when you first start, really.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50When I first met George at his warehouse,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52he was at the very beginning of his journey
0:02:52 > 0:02:55so I wanted to hear what his plans were for the building.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59- Hi, George. I'm Joe.- Hi, Joe. Nice to meet you.- How are you?
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- Very well, thank you.- Which property are we talking about here?
0:03:02 > 0:03:04It is this one to the side here.
0:03:04 > 0:03:05Quite an unusual look to it,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07sort of bolted on the side of this house.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Yes, it is sort of tucked just behind.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12It's much bigger when you get inside. It is a '70s construction.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14And was it habitable when you took it on?
0:03:14 > 0:03:17No, not at all. It is freezing cold inside.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21It's really a sort of concrete-block shell.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23And no insulation at all.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26There are plants growing into the corner of some of the rooms.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30So, yes, it would be very difficult to live inside at the moment.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32- Let's go and have a look inside, shall we?- Yes.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37George bought the warehouse for £67,000
0:03:37 > 0:03:39and, from the outside at least,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42it looked like a big job for a novice renovator.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Well, George, this is quite a space.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47I love the fact it is adorned with all your work already.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50You have been actually in here as a workshop, have you?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Yes, I have been using it as a workshop for about a year now.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Let's look at the big picture of things here.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58How do you want to divide and use this space?
0:03:58 > 0:04:00It is pretty much 50-50, really.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03This space is going to stay as the work space
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and then back into the back space,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09I have got a downstairs open-plan living area
0:04:09 > 0:04:11with kitchen, living room,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13and upstairs, two bedrooms -
0:04:13 > 0:04:16one for me and one for my son, Seth, when he comes to stay.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18But there is still quite a lot that I want to do
0:04:18 > 0:04:22that is slightly out of the ordinary, a few little features here and there.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24OK, well, look.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- Let's continue looking around and look upstairs, shall we?- Absolutely.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35George intended to have the main living area upstairs
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and create a comfortable family feel for him and two-year-old son, Seth.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42To help the budget stretch as far as possible,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45he planned to be a hands-on renovator.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50So this back half of upstairs will be the two bedrooms, will it?
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Yes, that's right. So one bedroom that side, one over this side.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55And the bathroom about here.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57So let's talk budget.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00How much do you hope you can do this project for?
0:05:00 > 0:05:05I'm hoping, really, to get it in between about £40,000-£50,000.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08I think I'd really struggle to get together more than that.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Do you worry that that is quite a tight budget?
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I am hoping it is a generous budget and enough to do things,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15otherwise I might end up completing it
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and having very little money to spend on furniture
0:05:18 > 0:05:20or anything else, really,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24and have to work a lot harder to make up the difference.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28The point is, it is an exciting time in the project, isn't it?
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Nothing is certain, playing with ideas,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32and there are lots of creative options open to you.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34I just can't wait to get started, really.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Later, we'll see what happened when I took George
0:05:38 > 0:05:39to meet David and Pamela Ward,
0:05:39 > 0:05:44who had turned an old barn that was barely standing into a luxury home.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Across the country, there are many buildings like George's,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51waiting to be discovered and renovated.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Local council empty property officers carry out detective work
0:05:54 > 0:05:56around the clock to reclaim abandoned buildings
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and bring them back into use.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Nearly three years ago,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04we met Cardiff empty property officer Steve Reed
0:06:04 > 0:06:08on his way to an abandoned house that was in a terrible state.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12As the owner had abdicated all responsibility,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14and with mortgage debts mounting on the house,
0:06:14 > 0:06:19the council had no choice but to make a compulsory purchase.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22The area the property is in is quite a nice area.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24The property itself looks terrible.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It is really stuck in the middle of all of this.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29So we need to get something done, if we can.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Steve needed to make a decision on whether
0:06:32 > 0:06:36to sell it at auction as it was or to spend money on repairs that might
0:06:36 > 0:06:38improve its value and chances of a sale.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42As repairing it was going to involve spending public money,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45the council needed to be confident they would recover the costs.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Steve met up with senior housing surveyor Clive Scrace
0:06:48 > 0:06:50to assess the state of the building.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53He has done several of these notices before,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55so he knows what to look for,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59roughly how much work needs doing, what we can and can't do,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01and get a rough idea of how much it is going to cost.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Hi, Clive.- Hi, Steve. What do you think?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- God, it's a lot worse then it was the last time.- It is, isn't it?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10I think we have a problem with rats as well.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12We may have to get it test baited.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Yes? If we go around and have a little look
0:07:14 > 0:07:18and see exactly what would be doing on it.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20We'll obviously have a look at clearing this.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Obviously you have the windows to the front.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- The doors have been boarded over, the tiles on the roof.- Yes.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30The boundary walls which have been vandalised.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34The major work is round the back with the conservatory and the overgrowth.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36So there is access to the rear here.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Obviously people are getting into the rear.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43It is completely overgrown back here but there is a walkway through.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Obviously kids and people can get through.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49We can see they have smashed the patio doors to the back.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53They can actually get in through here now and the patio doors.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56The problem we have got is that to sort of do this work
0:07:56 > 0:07:58to the appearance of the property,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01the cost of the works is going to be absolutely huge.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02I don't think we would recover them
0:08:02 > 0:08:05because obviously there is no money left in the property,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07once the mortgage is paid.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- So we just carry on with the CPO, then?- Yes, I think so.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14The verdict was to sell the house at auction without doing it up.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17As the place was heavily in debt to the mortgage company,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20all money from the sale would be swallowed up by them
0:08:20 > 0:08:24and the council would not recoup any money spent on repairs.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25Once it came up at auction,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Steve hoped it would sell to a developer
0:08:28 > 0:08:30who would be able to turn it around quickly.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34There is a huge potential for a new family moving into this property.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36The area is really nice.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38The property is fairly large.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41There's fields behind it, the schools are nearby.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44So hopefully once the compulsory purchase is done,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48it will become a nice family home for whoever buys it.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Nearly three years later,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Steve has come back to meet property developer Rashid Aziz
0:08:57 > 0:08:59who project-managed the renovation.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Mr Aziz?
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Hi, there. Steve Reed, Cardiff Council.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05God, what a difference!
0:09:08 > 0:09:11The property was snapped up at auction for £96,000.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Mr Aziz spent £80,000 doing it up
0:09:15 > 0:09:18and he has created a house fit for a king.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23- His renovation has been a ROARING success.- It is amazing!
0:09:23 > 0:09:26It is like a new house compared to what it was before.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31- It was virtually falling apart. - Yes. We put in new windows.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35I know the front wall, that was a major problem we had,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37where there were kids passing,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40taking the bricks off and throwing them through the windows...
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- of the neighbouring properties as well!- Oh, right.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47So it is good to see that that has been replaced
0:09:47 > 0:09:48- and hopefully it will stay up.- Yes.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52With similar properties in this area selling for nearly
0:09:52 > 0:09:56a quarter of a million, this house is Mr Aziz's pride and joy.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00- Can we have a look inside to see how it's getting on in there?- Yes.- Wow!
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- This has changed a bit. - A new floor.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07All the mouldings on there.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09They look beautiful.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14It looks fantastic. And, of course, there are no holes in the windows.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15No holes!
0:10:15 > 0:10:18The house has been redecorated inside and out.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23No longer an easy target for antisocial behaviour,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26instead it's a good-sized family home.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I am really glad, the neighbours are really happy.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32People keep coming and telling me how good it looks now.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38It has taken a long time, but, in this case, Steve's determination
0:10:38 > 0:10:41and hard work have really paid off.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The back is amazing! Where the bathroom is now,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48that used to be an old lean-to shed that was leaking.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52And out the back there, where you have got the conservatory there now,
0:10:52 > 0:10:53that used to be an old wooden one
0:10:53 > 0:10:56that was burned out and all the windows were smashed.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Thanks ever so much for showing me round.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- You are most welcome. - And good luck.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Hopefully we will have someone in here very soon.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Yes, of course. Thank you.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Having known the property for the last three years,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14and seeing it deteriorate every time we get here,
0:11:14 > 0:11:20to see it back into a home is just absolutely fantastic.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24To know that I played my part in it is brilliant.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32Across the country, there are some amazing houses crumbling into ruin
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but they can be transformed with hard work and dedication.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38They can be turned into fantastic homes.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Back in 2006, Ian and Tina Walker decided to take a gamble
0:11:44 > 0:11:49on this Grade-II-listed cottage in Peterborough.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52It was condemned, empty, derelict.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Full of scrap, on the verge of collapse,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and a building worth saving.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00When I first saw it and it was covered up with a tarpaulin,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04I actually hadn't seen that before. You know, a house wrapped up.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06It hadn't been lived in for around 50 years
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and the cottage was on the local Houses At Risk register.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13The Walkers bought it for £47,500
0:12:13 > 0:12:19and spent a further £92,000 on the major renovation work needed.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23To get a blank canvas, effectively, although it was a restoration...
0:12:23 > 0:12:25That I could also do it in the way
0:12:25 > 0:12:29that I felt that it should be done, was brilliant. Just a life...
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Well, nearly a 30-year dream come true for me.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36As a joiner, Ian could dedicate his skills
0:12:36 > 0:12:40to bringing the house back into use and making it a home again.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Generally speaking, it was in such a bad way
0:12:43 > 0:12:46that if there was anything that was in good order, it was a bonus.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50We tried to keep as much of its original fabric -
0:12:50 > 0:12:52and he definitely did - as we could,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54but to reuse it our way.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58By taking on a condemned house,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Ian and Tina were able to create their idyllic family home
0:13:02 > 0:13:07for much less than if they'd bought it already renovated
0:13:08 > 0:13:12The finish was when people kept telling me how lovely it looked.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14You just turn round and look at it
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and you might get a flashback of what it was, and you think, "Wow!"
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Whatever we've done,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24and whatever efforts we put in here or endured or went through,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27it's a house now that will stand for the next 200 years
0:13:27 > 0:13:29and that's a big deal.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Earlier in the programme, we met George Triggs,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38who bought a disused commercial warehouse which
0:13:38 > 0:13:42he plans to turn into a dual purpose home and work space.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45To help George, I took him to seek David and Pamela Ward
0:13:45 > 0:13:49who turned a old barn that was barely standing into a luxury home.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55David and Pamela bought this mid-19th-century barn in Shropshire,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59along with the cottage in the garden, for £270,000.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Like George's warehouse, the barn had never been lived in
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and was an uninhabitable shell when they took it on.
0:14:07 > 0:14:13All we had was a stony shell with a corrugated-iron Dutch barn roof.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16The enormity of the project soon became clear to Pamela and David
0:14:16 > 0:14:20when they learned the barn was a listed building.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23We built a modern house inside the barn
0:14:23 > 0:14:26and because the barn carried the listing,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29we had to preserve its character as much as possible.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34We were trying to keep the outside look of the building,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36because that, in planning terms, was probably important.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Turning a barn used for threshing grain
0:14:39 > 0:14:43into a three-bedroom dream home complete with kitchen,
0:14:43 > 0:14:49living room and landscaped gardens took over a year and cost £400,000,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52but Pamela and David don't regret spending a single penny.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56I love this room. It's nice during the day like this,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58it's smashing at night - you can look at the stars -
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and during the day, you can look at the clouds going past.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05The most satisfying part about doing a job like this
0:15:05 > 0:15:08is that it becomes part of you, or you become part of it.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12You can't cost it, you can't price it,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15but it's certainly an enduring satisfaction.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Well, George, first of all - you walk in, you've got this height,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24which is slightly familiar from your own property we saw earlier.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26What do you like about this?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28It's amazing. It's an amazing space,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31and, yeah, the amount of light is tremendous, really.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Now, I've caught sight of your living room upstairs,
0:15:34 > 0:15:35so shall we go and have a look up there?
0:15:35 > 0:15:37- Yeah, sure.- By all means.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46It's incredibly light up here.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Is that what you're looking to do as well, George, with your place?
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Yeah, absolutely. I'm trying to do as many roof lights as possible, really,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and one of the benefits of it being a flat roof
0:15:56 > 0:15:58is that you can put roof lights in
0:15:58 > 0:16:00without it being too much of a planning issue.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02George is on a very tight budget,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06so where can he make savings or economies? Any advice on that?
0:16:06 > 0:16:10Where we spent a lot of money here is on finishes and extras.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12The flooring here is better than need be.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14You don't have to have glass balustrades,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18which are very expensive. You don't have to have lovely furniture.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20It's the fittings that tend to run away with the money.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22George is at the beginning of this.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24What mindset should you try and adopt throughout?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26What kept you sane as you took on this project?
0:16:26 > 0:16:31Well, what kept me sane was doing each little bit as it came.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Think laterally about it and see whether there is a different way
0:16:35 > 0:16:38of doing what you are setting out to do.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41If you've got a good relationship with your builder,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43then he's worth his weight in gold.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Well, guys, thank you. It's been lovely to look around your home.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I'm pleased it's worked out so well for you.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49It seems ideal, so thank you very much.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51- Thank you very much. - Some very good advice, yeah.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55From deserted barns to deserted villages,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59renovating an empty property can not only breathe
0:16:59 > 0:17:02new life into a house, but into a whole community.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Over a year ago, I met David James in the Brecon Beacons.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09He was working tirelessly to help ease the countryside housing crisis
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and bring empty homes back into use.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17The Brecon Beacons in rural Mid Wales
0:17:17 > 0:17:20is one of the UK's most stunning beauty spots
0:17:20 > 0:17:22and thousands of tourists flock here every year.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26When I visited the area 18 months ago,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28I found there was a real housing crisis,
0:17:28 > 0:17:33a shortage of affordable homes for those born and bred here.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35When people can't afford to buy or rent
0:17:35 > 0:17:38a house or flat in the place they were born and raised, it can
0:17:38 > 0:17:42threaten the very existence of our countryside towns and villages.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45And if we don't find solutions to this problem soon,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48it could change the character
0:17:48 > 0:17:51and the way of life of places like this forever.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52As a National Park,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56the Brecon Beacons are a protected conservation area.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58This means the building of new homes is discouraged,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01so getting empty properties back into use
0:18:01 > 0:18:03is a fantastic and practical solution
0:18:03 > 0:18:06to creating new homes for local people.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08I am on my way to meet someone who feels passionately
0:18:08 > 0:18:11about keeping the Brecon communities together
0:18:11 > 0:18:16and tackling their empty properties to create much-needed homes.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22'David James is the rural housing enabler for the area.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26'He liaises between Powys Council and the surrounding community
0:18:26 > 0:18:28'to create affordable homes.'
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Now, tell me a bit about the housing crisis
0:18:31 > 0:18:33that rural communities like this one are facing.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36We haven't built enough housing,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40or the housing that we have built has been largely executive housing,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43and we haven't built enough affordable housing in particular
0:18:43 > 0:18:46to retain younger people in the communities.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48So how important are empty properties
0:18:48 > 0:18:51in providing a solution to that problem?
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Massively important.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58So when you see small empty properties just left empty,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02when local people could be housed there, it's...I really get upset.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07And there's a couple you're particularly proud of because they have been turned around.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Yes, they're really fantastic.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Brilliant. Well, I can see your face light up when we talk about them.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15- I think we should go and have a look. Are they just up here?- Yes.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20David's extremely proud of a recent renovation of two derelict cottages,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24a project completed using an interest-free loan from Powys Council.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29David, these look lovely.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31- Let's pop inside and see what's happened to them.- OK.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36All right, well, look at this.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40It has... I can see a new floor, you've kept the old fireplace.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42New doors, new everything.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47It has had a complete overhaul. It was in such a terrible state of repair,
0:19:47 > 0:19:48it just needed everything new.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53If I was just starting off, I think this would be fantastic as a starter home.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02It's really inspiring
0:20:02 > 0:20:04to see empty properties being saved here,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06and not just that they're being brought back to life -
0:20:06 > 0:20:10importantly, they're being made available for local people,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13which is helping preserve the local community.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16With people as passionate as David on the case,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20there really is every reason to be optimistic here.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Now, a year later, it seems all David
0:20:24 > 0:20:27and the local council's hard work has paid off.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30The scheme has gone from strength to strength.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Over the last 12 months, it is like
0:20:32 > 0:20:3430 to 40 properties have been brought back into use
0:20:34 > 0:20:38because of the interest-free loan available to owners.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So that is a real success, I think.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Some families have lived on these streets over many generations,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47so there is a real attachment to the properties here.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Everybody can recall who lived there and what was there previously.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56So there is not just the house, it is everything that goes with it as well.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Those are the things that galvanise a community together.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04After 20 years of lying empty,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06the cottage I visited is now fully restored
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and rented out to a local villager.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Much to the delight of the owner, Gordon Gwillim.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Gordon, how are you?
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Very well, thank you, David.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- Is it OK if we have a little look inside, Gordon?- You are welcome.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22- Yes.- I hope you find it interesting. - I can't wait.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Gordon was born in this very house more than 70 years ago.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30He has happy memories of growing up here with his grandma.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34- This is nice, Gordon.- It is. Very, very pleasant, isn't it?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I can remember a story about the kitchen,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44when I used to cut the firewood for my grandmother for the grate -
0:21:44 > 0:21:47the old-fashioned grate, which is still there. It has been restored.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I used to crack a few flagstones occasionally, as I got stronger.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52I would get told off for it!
0:21:52 > 0:21:56I suppose it feels like an achievement to have people living here again, Gordon?
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Yes, it's a dream come true.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04For nearly a generation, this cottage was a forgotten relic
0:22:04 > 0:22:08but now it's back in the heart of the village as a much-loved home.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Earlier in the programme,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17we met sculptor and artist George Triggs
0:22:17 > 0:22:20who was hoping to turn a disused warehouse in Shropshire
0:22:20 > 0:22:24into a light-filled studio where he could live and work.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Well, I've come back to Oswestry to see how George is getting on
0:22:27 > 0:22:30with transforming his warehouse into a shiny new studio
0:22:30 > 0:22:31and home for his family.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Now, I can spot a new window up there.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Let's see what else has changed.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39'This building had stood empty for a year before George bought it
0:22:39 > 0:22:41'and despite being a first-time renovator,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44'he was planning to do most of the work himself.'
0:22:44 > 0:22:48- Hi, George. How are you doing? - Very good, yes.- How are you?
0:22:48 > 0:22:49- Yes, very well, thanks.- Good.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Got to have a look at this. After you. Let's have a look inside.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59George, this is fantastic!
0:22:59 > 0:23:01What a transformation!
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Yes, it is a big change since last time.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Talk me through all the changes.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Well, from the ground up,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11there was drainage, underfloor,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14raising lintels, opening up windows.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16A whole new staircase.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22Kitchen. Um...a big piece of glass between the two floors.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25So you've brought the light in. That is really clever.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Well, that makes such a huge difference to this space
0:23:28 > 0:23:31because you've got the skylight that has been put in above.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33And just such a lovely feature
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- and such a lot of light that it brings down to us.- So clever.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41It is something that I don't know how we would do without now.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44When I saw you last time, it was the start of the project
0:23:44 > 0:23:47and you wanted to be very hands-on. Have you been?
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Um...I think, as I have gone on,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53a lot more has been handed to the builders.
0:23:53 > 0:23:59I think the one thing that me and my dad made is this staircase over here.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02What an incredible feature. It is a self-supporting staircase.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04It looks stunning.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08So has the budget grown in this case as you have gone along?
0:24:08 > 0:24:12After, sort of, quotes and all the extra little bits,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14it is up to about £100,000 now,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18which is a little bit higher than I first imagined.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21You've gone over budget with things like the glass,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23- but you feel that is worth it? - Absolutely.
0:24:23 > 0:24:29It really feels like my chance to make my home and my workshop
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and it is very much a one-off thing.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33I think it's really been worth it.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37OK. Well, I have to try out your feature staircase.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40- Let's go upstairs and see what's up there.- After you.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It is OK to step on this, isn't it, George?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48I am sure it is. The first time it's a bit unnerving.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- It is a little bit scary but very safe.- Excellent.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Now, this was all one open space.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- It has changed so much. So you have the master bedroom?- That is right.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Master bedroom here, my son's room in there.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04And the bathroom in there.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08You are a couple of weeks away from moving in
0:25:08 > 0:25:11and this is just brilliant! I mean,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- how happy are you with the whole process?- I'm absolutely thrilled.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16The builders have been great.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20The architects have been brilliant and it is all coming together
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and it just seems unreal, really, that it's nearly there.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25And what does your little boy make of it?
0:25:25 > 0:25:30He loves playing on the glass and running around the big rooms.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Yes. My partner needs a bit more cupboard space
0:25:32 > 0:25:34but I will get on that soon enough!
0:25:34 > 0:25:36As well as the living area,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38George is in the process
0:25:38 > 0:25:41of finishing an artists' studio at the front of the building.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45His vision of creating a light-filled space
0:25:45 > 0:25:48where he can live and work is nearly complete.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49George, I am delighted for you.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52I am very impressed you have been able to keep working in your studio
0:25:52 > 0:25:54as the building work has gone on
0:25:54 > 0:25:56and then to come out with an end result like this,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58with lovely bedrooms, a great open family space
0:25:58 > 0:26:02down there but a huge studio, to carry on your work.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05It is just perfect. So many congratulations.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Yes, thank you very much. Yes.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09It has been, certainly, a challenge
0:26:09 > 0:26:11but I am just so happy
0:26:11 > 0:26:15that I keep having to pinch myself, just to realise that it is all real
0:26:15 > 0:26:19and it is going to happen and it is going to happen soon.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Well, I am over the moon for George.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27There couldn't be a finer example
0:26:27 > 0:26:29of what taking on an empty property is all about.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33It is about tailoring the building to you, to your every need.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35That is what he has done.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40He has got this perfect work studio but also this lovely, warm,
0:26:40 > 0:26:41family home,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45which is just going to be perfect for him and his little boy.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd