Item 3 Empty Commercial Properties

Vacant Town Centre Retail Properties
Business Development & Planning and
Environment Committee
24 November 2015
Overall Objectives
• To reduce the number of vacant retail units in
the Town Centre – commercial viability
• Bring back into productive business use
• Ensure vacant properties are actively being
marketed
• Focus on properties in poor condition
• Dialogue with property owners in respect of their
intentions
• Consider use of powers available to the council
• Implications in respect of business rates
Overview
Main clusters of vacant units
• St George’s Shopping Centre
• Milton Road
• High Street
Near to full occupancy
• Thamesgate
• King Street
Change
Key Properties
• Marks & Spencer
• Former Dreams,
Railway Place
• King Street Cinema
• High Street – Bank
Street property
• Phones4You, New
Road
31 & 32 High Street
• Dialogue with
property owners
• S.215 warning of
action
• Works undertaken –
one unit occupied, the
other marketed.
• Planning application
for residential
development above
King Street
• Property owners
intentions –
residential scheme
• S.215 notice served.
Berkley Crescent
• Listed Buildings – Exempt
under NNDR
• Continued dialogue with
owners concerning their
intentions.
10-12 Manor Road
10-12 Manor Road
16 Manor Road
• Lengthy dialogue with
property owners
• S.215 notice served
• Works undertaken
• Acquired by Hindu
community
Recent Changes
2 Clive Road
Kempthorne Street
32 Milton Road
Manor Road
New Road
32 Windmill Street