OFFICIALS have come up with an idea which could kill two birds with one stone.

Kirklees Council yesterday announced a multi-million pound plan to tackle the problems of empty shops and the housing shortage.

The council wants to convert empty commercial premises in Huddersfield and Dewsbury town centres into accommodation.

Kirklees will use the £2.87m funding given by the Homes and Communities Agency earlier this week.

Kirklees Cabinet member for regeneration Clr Peter McBride said: “The council continues to work extremely hard at creating vibrant town and village centres and to support the Kirklees economy.

“The new funding will help the vast range of anti-recession work that already takes place and that remains very much a council priority.

“Dewsbury and Huddersfield town centres met the criteria for this funding stream by having a total of over 100 empty properties, so clearly this announcement is good news.

“The picture in Kirklees is far less bleak than in other parts of the country, but we are absolutely committed to our anti-recession strategy and we will do everything possible to stimulate growth, support local business, improve town centres and safeguard and create employment.”

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney wants the Government and councils to do more to fill vacant properties.

The Conservative appeared in The Great Property Scandal, a Channel 4 series about empty homes, last December.