Overview: Defining the High Street Areas for High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs)
Consultation opened: 1 September 2025
Consultation closes: 23 November 2025
We are seeking your views as part of the process to define the area where High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) powers may be applied.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 grants local authorities powers to auction leases for commercial properties that have been vacant for more than 365 days within a 24-month period. Before exercising these powers, the council must undertake a public consultation to define the specific high street area(s) where the powers could apply.
This consultation will help ensure that the approach reflects local circumstances and priorities.
Background
High streets are facing significant challenges, with rising vacancy rates impacting vitality, investment, and pride in place. Through HSRAs, local authorities can auction leases to bring long-term vacant units back into productive use, supporting business growth and community activity.
However, these powers are intended to be used thoughtfully, based on clear local evidence. Defining the correct boundary for action is crucial to ensure a positive impact.
This is the government guidance, which sets out eligibility and how these powers should be applied.
What is the High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) process?
High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) are a new tool introduced through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 to help revitalise town and city centres across England. They give local authorities the power to bring long-term vacant high street properties back into active use by requiring landlords to let them out via a rental auction. These auctions allow local businesses, charities, and community groups to bid for a tenancy at market rent, creating new opportunities for enterprise, activity, and footfall on high streets that are currently underperforming.
This power applies to properties that have been vacant for over a year and where their occupation would benefit the local area economically, socially or environmentally. Local authorities can initiate the process if voluntary action with the landlord has not succeeded. Through a structured process of notice, engagement, and auction, authorities can facilitate new tenancies without the need for compulsory purchase, helping to overcome challenges such as absentee landlords or uncooperative property owners. HSRAs form part of a wider strategy to empower communities and support high street renewal. However, there may be some instances where buildings are in such a poor state of disrepair that, as explained in the government guidance, they would be ineligible for consideration in the process.
Purpose of this consultation
The consultation sets out which towns and areas the use of the High Street Rental Auction powers could have a positive impact. The first step is to define the areas within those towns.
We are asking for your views to help define the ‘high street area’ where HSRA powers could apply.
Proposed high street area
This consultation includes maps for the areas in each town centre to be included. This has been selected based on:
- high levels of vacancy
- economic significance to the wider town/city
- potential for regeneration and business growth
- areas defined as town centres in our Local Plan
Who should respond?
We invite responses from:
- local residents
- the town council for each specific town covered
- businesses and business organisations
- landlords and property owners
- community groups
- visitors and users of the high street
- any other interested parties
Community engagement event
We are holding an online engagement event for residents and stakeholders to come and discuss the proposals with us, ask questions and understand the proposals before submitting consultation feedback.
To register for the online session, please email the Community Engagement Team with your name and email address at partnerships.communityengagementteam@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk by 5pm on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, to book a place. Please title your email: ‘Proposed High Street Areas Engagement session.’
Date: Thursday, 2 October 2025
Time: 6pm
Location: Online (MS Teams)