More should be done to support efforts to protect popular buildings in York amid changing high street trends, a motion set to be debated by councillors has stated.
The motion, set to be tabled by Labour’s Coun Anna Baxter, calls for York Council to help people and groups list buildings as assets of community value (ACV).
The Hull Road ward councillor’s motion added the council should also work to prepare for plans for a Community Right to Buy for local buildings and broader ACV powers.
The motion set to be tabled on Thurday, November 21 comes after the Community Right to Buy was pledged by the Government as part of broader devolution powers.
It also follows this month’s announcement of proposals for a 40 per cent cut in business rates up to £110,000 for high street shops and hospitality businesses.
Labour Exchequer Secretary James Murray said the measures were designed to create a level playing field between high street businesses and those based online or out-of-town.
Coun Baxter’s motion calls stated that the measures were welcome, with hopes that they could stem the tide of high street business closures.
The motion added that the shift in shopping habits away from the high street would pose questions over the future of the buildings which are left empty after closing.
The motion stated: “Local assets play an important role in helping York communities to thrive through a broad range of facilities facilities and venues from community centres to pubs, from cinemas to music venues to green spaces and much more.
“The shift in shopping habits away from the high street, often leaving long-term empty retail units, poses questions for communities and their representatives around broadening the definition of what makes a community asset and how to ensure productive use of local buildings.”
The motion calls for local and national sources of funding for those looking to acquire buildings to be shared and for making the process as accessible as possible.
It also calls for the celebration of successful ACV-listed buildings and for the council to build links with organisations that can help communities acquire them.
ACV powers which the motion calls for greater support for allow communities to bid to get buildings listed locally.
Councils have to take the ACV status of buildings into account if they are subject to a planning application.
Examples of buildings with ACV status in York include the Strensall Library, Bishopthorpe’s Vernon House as well as the Golden Ball, Ship Inn and Blacksmiths Arms pubs, among others.
The Government’s proposals for a Community Right to Buy include granting locals first refusal on ACV buildings.
The current timeframe for communities to raise the funds to buy buildings under the existing Community Right to Bid system would be doubled from six months to 12.
Communities do not currently have first refusal but they do have six months to raise money to buy buildings listed as ACVs on the open market.