Bassetlaw District Council is forging ahead with its High Street Rental Auction Scheme which hopes to improve high streets and tackle the problem of long-term empty shops.
The Council was made one of four ‘Early Adopters’ of the new High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) scheme by the government in December 2024, which aims to see long term vacant shops rented out to new tenants.
HRSA provides a new power for local authorities to require landlords to rent out commercial properties unoccupied continuously for 12 months or for at least 366 days within a 24-month period to new tenants, such as local businesses or community groups.
At a Full Council meeting on Thursday 19th June, Councillors approved the designated areas in which the HRSA will be applied in Worksop, Retford and Harworth and Bircotes.
Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Identity and Place said: “We want to revitalise and regenerate our town centres and these new powers to tackle long term empty shops will help towards this.
“We also want to work positively with landlords to proactively bring their premises back into use through business support and available grants, to help rent out shops to new tenants.”
The council hopes to positively engage with landlords to reduce the number of premises reaching the rental auction stage and bring premises back into use through other interventions.
It includes providing opportunities for free business support, high street grants and fit-out grants funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
As well as reducing the number of empty units it is hoped it will also support more start-ups, and community uses as well as increasing footfall on the high street.
To find out about the HRSA designated areas visit www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/HSRA/ or for more information on support available to high street businesses visit www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/support-and-advice-for-businesses
