North Yorkshire Council is inviting residents and businesses to help shape new proposals aimed at tackling the number of empty shops in Scarborough town centre. Under new powers introduced by the Government, local authorities can now require landlords of long-term vacant properties to find new tenants to help reinvigorate high streets.
The council plans to pilot the High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) scheme in Scarborough, where commercial vacancy rates currently stand at 14.4 per cent. This is higher than the national average and other North Yorkshire urban centres such as Harrogate, at 11.4%, and Selby, at 7.8%. A particular area of concern has been identified in Huntriss Row, where several vacant units are clustered together.
The HSRA powers, part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, are designed to improve dialogue between councils and landlords. As a last resort, the process allows local authorities to use an auction to secure a tenant for persistently vacant units, which could include local businesses or community groups. This pilot complements a 10-year regeneration plan for Scarborough, which includes £20 million in government funding through the Pride in Place programme.
Cllr Mark Crane said “Our towns and high streets in North Yorkshire continue to perform well compared to some other parts of the country, and this is something we are keen to protect and build upon. The new HSRA powers provide an opportunity to minimise the number of boarded-up properties and long-term vacancies that can blight town centres, stifle investment and demoralise communities who live and work there.”
“We want to work collaboratively with landlords to ensure premises are occupied and contribute to a thriving and vibrant town centre. The auction process would only ever be used as a last resort. This opportunity for the public to give their feedback is the next step towards implementing these new powers, building on work already undertaken through the Sprucing Up Scarborough programme.”
Members of the public are being asked to provide feedback on the proposed boundary for the pilot scheme. The online survey is open until Tuesday 19th May and can be accessed at www.northyorks.gov.uk/HSRA-survey.
