Council backs plan to transform unused city shops

Gloucester City councillors unanimously voted for a policy to reduce the number of vacant businesses in the centre

New plans to tackle the proliferation of empty shops in a city have been endorsed by its council.

Gloucester City councillors unanimously agreed to adopt the High Street Rental Auction, a new initiative that aims to revitalise high streets by bringing unused buildings back into use.

The policy allows councils to auction the rights to rent out persistently vacant properties in town centres to new tenants for a period of one to five years.

"Bringing these empty units back into use is vital to transforming the look and feel of the city centre for both visitors and residents alike," said councillor Karen James.

Ms James, who proposed the motion at a council meeting on Thursday, said the authority also needed to step up and focus on vacant council-owned buildings.

Councillors also agreed to produce a register of vacant properties in the city centre and identify their owners.

Rebecca Trimnell, community cabinet member, said the problem of vacant properties affected high streets across the country.

"Every empty shop tells a silent story, dreams that couldn't survive and families losing livelihoods," she said.

"Many of us are reminded every day when we walk past such empty buildings in this city."

The authority will apply to the High Street Rental Auction Fund to enable the improvement of the empty properties, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.