A council-owned housing company could buy up empty homes and bring them back into use as affordable accommodation in a £12 million scheme.

The number of empty properties in Stoke-on-Trent has fallen in recent but there are still more than 3,000 across the city, most of them in the private sector.

At the same time, there are more than 3,000 households on Stoke-on-Trent City Council housing waiting list, the majority of which are classed as being in highest need.

Council bosses are now looking at using Fortior Homes, the authority's housing company, to tackle both of these issues by turning long-term vacant homes into affordable housing.

Up until now, Fortior has focused on providing market housing, such as the Clayworks apartment complex in Hanley.

Members of the housing, regeneration and operations scrutiny committee were told that empty homes work, costing £10-12 million, would be included in the next phase of Fortior's programme.

Tom Jones, head of housing solutions, said: "There's quite a bit of pressure on affordable housing, social housing in particular, which is a culmination of the loss of properties to right-to-buy.

"Housing associations have increased their stock over the years but they started from a small base, so it doesn't cover the loss of council accommodation over the last 10 to 15 years.

"The other issue is empty homes. The number has come down over the years – it's probably at its lowest in a decade.

"But we still have quite a high number of empty properties, which is obviously a waste resource. They also attract issues around anti-social behaviour and crime.

"So we're working very closely with the development team, Fortior Homes in particular, to see if we can change the business model of Fortior to deliver more affordable housing.

"We've sent over a list of our highest priority empty homes and we're looking at what sort of models we could develop to bring them back, through Fortior, as affordable accommodation.

"It's very much a work in development. But we do see it as a potential mechanism to reduce the number of empty homes but also increase the number of affordable homes in the city."

Scrutiny committee members were also given an update on the council's housing development pipeline, which is set to deliver hundreds of new homes across the city. The first of these schemes, Chatterley Court, in Chell Heath, was completed in February.

"The sheltered accommodation complex includes 113 one and two-bedroom apartments for the over-55s.

Other pipeline projects include the redevelopment of the former Brookhouse Green Primary School site in Bentilee, where plans for 117 new homes were approved last month, and Pyenest Street in Shelton, where the council has submitted plans for up to 141 homes.

The city council is under pressure to dramatically increase the number of homes being built in Stoke-on-Trent.

"The government has set a target of 948 homes a year, but fewer than 500 have been built in the city annually over the last four years.

Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "We are focused on housing delivery. We know we need to meet this target. Past governments, and I'm not just talking about Conservative, I'm talking Labour too, haven't built the homes this country needs.

"So now it's fallen to the new government to really get this under control. There's a housing crisis across the country, and in this city.

"As cabinet members, we're very committed to ensuring Stoke-on-Trent plays its full part. It's not about government numbers, it's about numbers for our people in the city.

"There are so many people who are struggling, so many in sub-par accommodation, and HMOs, because we don't have the houses we need."