SOME 23,303 private properties were empty in Wales in 2016-17, with councils bringing less than 1 per cent back into use, figures from Cardiff Bay showed yesterday.

The number vacant has ballooned since 2012-13, when it stood at 19,612, but the Welsh government said it is working with councils to bring homes back into use.

More empty homes have been brought back into use in recent years — 962 (4.9 per cent) in 2012-13, rising to 1,347 (5.8 per cent) in the last financial year.