The government should look towards Britain’s empty high streets as a possible way of easing the country’s housing strain, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

It has called on Whitehall to consider transforming empty stores into homes for people who are struggling to get onto the property ladder.

According to figures from the Local Data Company, last year saw 14.3 per cent of all retail shops standing empty, leading to 48,000 units being dormant.

Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the NAEA, said: “With the government still yet to formally respond to Mary Portas’ review of the high street, swift action from local authorities and forward-thinking developers is crucial to revive the UK’s town and city centres.”

He went on to say that commercial property owners are paying out high business rates for buildings which no one currently occupies.

Therefore it would make sense to convert these properties into residential use, which would help to provide an economic and aesthetic boost to the high street.

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