High Street Rental Auctions: Defining the designated areas

To be eligible for a High Street Rental Auction, premises must have been unoccupied continuously for 12 months, or for at least 366 days (non-continuously) within a 24-month period. This is known as the vacancy condition.

The occupation of the premises for a suitable high-street use should be considered beneficial to the local economy, society or environment. This is known as the local benefit condition.

Suitable high street uses can include:

• shops or offices
• services for visiting members of the public
• restaurants, bars, public houses and cafes
• public entertainment or recreation
• communal halls or meeting-places
• manufacturing or other industrial processes compatible with the preceding uses

Premises must also be located within a defined high street area, known as a designated area. It is a requirement of the HSRA process that the views of the public are considered when determining these areas.

We will prioritise which vacant premises to target. This will be based on several factors, including level of existing engagement with the landlord, degree of renovation/refurbishment and the potential impact.

The HSRA process consists of a 12-week Notice Period followed by a 12-week Auction Period.

The Notice Period begins when the council serves an initial notice on the landlord of the premises identified as eligible for a HSRA. The landlord can make their own arrangements to enter into a tenancy, subject to approval from the council.

If a suitable tenancy is not entered into within eight weeks the council can serve a final notice on the landlord informing them of their intention to run an auction. The landlord can serve a counter-notice and object to this; if no objection is made, the process moves on to the Auction Period.

The council then has 12 weeks to auction the premises and complete a tenancy contract. During this time the council and landlord will engage on premises information and tenancy terms, the premises will be marketed, and bids invited and received. The auction process concludes when a tenancy contract is exchanged between the landlord and successful bidder.

Not all long-term vacant units within a designated area will be appropriate for auction. For example, premises that face significant issues and require costly renovation or refurbishment and those that are part of wider redevelopment or regeneration schemes. Vacant properties owned by the council are also not eligible.

Further information on HSRAs can be found in the government guidance.

Aylesbury

• Alexander Road
• Anchor Lane
• Bourbon Street
• Britannia Street
• Buckingham Street
• Cambridge Place
• Cambridge Street
• Castle Street
• Church Street
• Exchange Street
• Friarage Road
• George Street
• Granville Place
• Great Western Street
• Green End
• Hale Street
• High Street
• Kingsbury
• Long Lional
• Market Square
• Market Street
• New Street
• Pebble Lane
• Railway Street
• Rickfords Hill
• Silver Street
• Temple Square
• Temple Street
• Upper Hundreds Way
• Vale Park Drive
• Walton Street

Chesham

• Blucher Street
• Church Street
• East Street
• Elgiva Lane
• Francis Yard
• High Street
• Honey Yard
• Lewins Yard
• Market Square
• Station Road
• Stones Courtyard
• Tap Yard
• The Backs
• The Broadway
• White Hill

High Wycombe

• Abbey Way
• Abbey Way Gyratory
• Arch Way
• Bellfield Road
• Bridge Street
• Bull Lane
• Castle Street
• Church Square
• Church Street
• Cornmarket
• Corporation Street
• Crendon Street
• Desborough Road
• Dovecot Road
• Easton Street
• Frogmoor
• Glenisters Road
• High Street
• Kings Court
• Lansdales Road
• Lilys Walk
• Mendy Street
• Oxford Road
• Oxford Street
• Pauls Row
• Premier Way
• Prioriy Road
• Queen Victoria Road
• Queens Square
• Ship Street
• Short Street
• St Mary Street
• Station Approach
• Station Close
• West End Street
• Westbourne Street
• White Hart Street