Empty shops can make a place feel less safe, less vibrant, and less welcoming. To help address this, the government has introduced High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA). These give councils new powers to bring long-term empty properties back into use.
Under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, local authorities can conduct rental auctions for properties that have been vacant for one year consecutively or 366 days non-consecutively within a two-year period.
Wigan Council consulted on the proposal to designate Leigh Town Centre Core as a HSRA area. Following the consultation, Cabinet approved the designation of Leigh Town Centre core area as an HSRA area and the implementation of HSRA powers.
Next steps
If you are the landlord of a property within the boundary that meets the vacancy criteria, you should expect to hear from the Council. We aim to engage constructively with landlords and encourage them to enter into tenancies voluntarily.
Rental auction process
Once the HSRA area is in place, the Council can serve an initial notice on the landlord of a property.
The notice period lasts for 10-12weeks. Followed by a 12-week auction period.
During this process:
- Landlords are expected to cooperate
- The Council will require access to properties to survey vacant premises
- Powers to gain access where landlords are not engaging are outlined in the Act, with penalties also possible for non-compliance.
Read the full guidance on High Street Rental Auctions on GOV.UK (external link).
Land Charge
The area will register as a Local Land Charge, with an additional land charge placed on properties at the initial notice and auction stage to inform potential buyers.
HSRA Area
The streets included in the High Street Rental Auction are:
- Albion Street
- Back Market Street
- Back Salford
- Bedford Street (Part of)
- Bengal Street (Part of)
- Bold Street (Part of)
- Bond Street (Part of)
- Bradshawgate
- Brown Street (Part of)
- Brown Street North (Part of)
- Brown Street South (Part of)
- Charles Street (Part of)
- Cook Street (Part of)
- Doctor's Nook (Part of)
- Downing Street (Part of)
- Ellesmere Street (Part of)
- Gas Street
- Gerrard Street
- Hilden Street (Part of)
- Hope Street (Part of)
- John Street
- King Street (Part of)
- Lord Street (Part of)
- Market Place (Part of)
- Market Street
- Newton Street
- Railway Road (Part of)
- Silk Street (Part of)
- Spinning Gate Shopping Centre
- Spinning Jenny Way (Part of)
- St Mary's Way (Part of)
- Temple Court
- Union Street (Part of)
- Vernon Street (Part of)
- Wilkinson Street (Part of).