High Street Rental Auctions scheme to be launched in Eastwood
Broxtowe Council is to take action to fill long-term vacant properties in Eastwood by auctioning lease rights of up to five years.
Broxtowe is one of 11 councils in England to lead on High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA), a new permissive power for local authorities to require landlords to rent out persistently vacant commercial properties to new tenants.
The decision to launch the initiative in Eastwood comes after some early success in Stapleford.
Premises selected for HSRAs, must satisfy the ‘vacancy condition’ (unoccupied continuously for 12 months or for at least 366 days non-continuously within a 24-month period) and the ‘local benefit condition’ (occupation of the premises for a suitable high street use would be beneficial to the local economy, society or environment).
The HSRA process takes 22 to 24 weeks after community engagement and involves a notice period and auction period.
Prior to that, the council is announcing the proposals now to identify premises that satisfy the ‘vacancy condition’ within the Eastwood HSRA designated area, which runs along Nottingham Road from its junction with Essex Street up to the junction with Church Street and the A608, taking parts of side streets along the way.
The council will establish a ‘vacancy register’ of those properties after it enters into a 28-day minimum community engagement period, which has now started.
The council is seeking comments regarding the designated area and comments can be submitted bat any time up until August 25 via email at [email protected] or by post to Economic Development, Broxtowe Borough Council, Foster Avenue, Beeston, Nottinghamshire, NG9 1AB.
Comments should specify whether the proposed area is supported or not and include the reasons why.
Leaflets with information about Eastwood HSRAs are available in Eastwood Library.
Coun Milan Radulovic (Brox All), council leader and portfolio holder for economic development and asset management, said: “I am pleased to be able to bring the HSRA initiative to Eastwood after a successful start to the project in Stapleford.
"This initiative will aid in reducing the number of empty units in the town, bringing life back to Eastwood high street.”
Kimberley MP and minister for local growth and building safety Alex Norris (Lab) said: “HSRAs are a brilliant way for councils to bring shops and shoppers back to the high street, boosting trade, creating jobs and supporting our communities.
“We are committed to growing the economy and improving opportunities for people across the country through our Plan for Change, and thriving high streets have a key role to play.
“That’s why we are backing the rollout of the powers with over £1m of funding on offer to help ensure our communities have the resources they need to realise their potential.”
Local authorities signed up as ‘early adopters’ will be amongst the first to deliver HSRAs and will act as champions of the programme, to encourage greater take up of HSRAs by other local authorities.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will work closely with the early adopters group throughout the HSRA process, aiding progress at each stage and publicising achievements through post-implementation case studies.
As Broxtowe Council is one of 11 early adopters of HSRA, information is limited at this time.
The Eastwood HSRA web page will be updated with further information when it becomes available.