Okay so it’s probably a bit technical, and maybe not gonna grab any morning headlines, but in the run up to release of the promised government High Streets Strategy…
…I thought to revisit our tackling vacancy-focused ‘manifesto’: the policies and regulation additions / adjusts (see how snappy it is) designed to help all those working on this issue on the ground.
Drawing on learning since 2013 and across the now 46 locations we’re working with The Vacant Shops Academy, it was written just before the last general election and I’d say it’s held up pretty well.
One item has made it into the policy pipeline already, it’d be great to see more, especially the first which we totally believe would see town and city centres halve their headline vacancy rate in 18 months and take a chunk out of the long-stuck national rate, maybe even dropping it from the currently quoted 13.5-14% into single figures.
So here it is…
Ask (and resource) every local authority to report on vacancy numbers twice a year, and work with agents, landlords, businesses, community, cultural organisations, chamber and BID where there is one plus others identified locally, to help overcome barriers to getting empty units let…
Give them scope to override national use class guidance and permitted development rules in line with local priorities;
Create new powers to end business rates avoidance and evasion and allow flexibility to incentivise tackling vacancy eg around thresholds, ‘fit to occupy’, listed building charity (and CIC) and second unit reliefs;
Strengthen (and resource) regulations to enforce minimum ‘fit to occupy’ standards on all highstreet buildings;
Sweep away the additional letting requirements on councils when they are landlords so that local authorities are all beacons of good practice;
Require every vacant highstreet unit to be marketed with a registered agent and the place to have a publicly available empty & available units listing;
Change the process which keep units empty when the previous tenant went into administration or left with time to go on their lease;
Build funds to support community right to buy including the co-ordination and property skills to make it happen and be sustainable;
Develop a series of pop-up use projects leading to longer pilots based on successful examples for arts & crafts, culture, creative and community uses;
Mandate all NHS Trusts to work with their places to develop accessible first contact & diagnostic services in town & city centres;
Encourage and resource places to ‘audit’ and develop strategies to reduce un- and under-used space on upper floors of vacant and occupied units.
I know a number of property and placemaking colleagues disagree with one or more of these, so please do have a say…!
What would you add / amend…?
