derelict

Mr Marsh's daughter will receive the honour 75 years after he died from spinal injuries after falling through a hole in the first floor of a derelict church while responding to a fire in Birmingham.

Mr DePree said under the council's ownership the building had been derelict for years.

With this in mind, the news that it has managed to obtain planning permission to demolish a nearby derelict café and build its own facility on the land is particularly welcome.

It treats abandoned properties as an environmental health issue - derelict properties can be a magnet for vandalism and vermin, harming the quality of life for people living next to them.

But can selling off empty, derelict properties for a nominal amount help solve urban blight?