What is Community Right to Buy?
Community Right to Buy (Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026) builds from the previous Community Right to Bid (Localism Act 2011) to give communities stronger powers to protect and purchase the assets that are important to them.
What can be nominated?
Community groups, such as parish councils, charities, voluntary organisations, and social enterprises, will be able to nominate any building, land, and now sports ground (within the meaning of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975) that has an important social purpose for the community as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) or a Sporting Assets of Community Value (SACV).
The definition of an ACV will also be expanded to help protect a wider range of assets. Community groups will be able to appeal the local authority’s decision on whether an asset is of community value.
What happens when an asset is listed?
Once an asset is listed, the Land Registry updates its records. If the owner decides to sell the listed asset, they must inform us. At this point, local community groups can express interest in buying it. If a group does so, a 6-month delay (moratorium) is placed on the sale to give the community time to raise funds and make a bid to buy the asset to protect it for community use.
What does an asset need to meet the criteria?
To be listed, the nomination must include evidence showing that the asset meets the legal definition of community value. This means meeting 1 of these criteria:
- economic wellbeing
- social wellbeing
- economic interests
- social interests of the local community
The nominated asset must show it is likely that this use will continue in the future. Or if the asset is not currently used in this way, there must be proof that it was used to benefit the community in the recent past and is likely to do so again within the next 5 years.
What happens when an asset is put up for sale?
Under the new Community Right to Buy, when an ACV is put up for sale by its owner, community groups will be given the first opportunity to purchase this asset. The community group and asset owner will either negotiate a price for the asset, or an independent valuer will set a price based on the market value. Under Community Right to Buy, the moratorium on the sale of the asset will be extended to 12 months, giving community groups more time to raise funding to meet the agreed purchase price. Asset owners will be able to ask the local authority to check that community groups are making sufficient progress on the sale 6 months into the moratorium.
What happens after the moratorium?
After the moratorium period, which is either the 6 weeks if there has been no community interest, or the full 6 months – the owner is free to sell to whomever they choose and at whatever price, and no further moratorium will apply for the remainder of a protected period which lasts for 18 months from when the owner notified the local authority of wishing to sell. Where there is a relevant disposal during the protected period then the asset is removed from the list of Assets of Community Value. Once the protected period expires and if there has been no relevant disposal, the asset remains on our list, and the owner must provide notice of any further intention to dispose which will trigger the moratorium again.
Can an owner challenge a listing?
If an owner disagrees with their property being listed, they can ask us to review the decision. This request must be made in writing within 8 weeks of receiving the listing notice. The asset will stay listed while the review takes place. The owner will cover their own costs for the process and we'll cover ours.