Portsmouth City Council gets new powers to tackle scourge of empty shops - but it's not a quick fix

From December 2, councils can auction leases for commercial properties which have been empty for more than 365 days in the past two years.

The High Street Rental Auction scheme aims to tackle disengaged landlords and bring businesses back to the high street, boosting economic growth.

A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said: “Much of the property on the city’s high streets is owned privately, which means there is a big journey ahead for us to secure large-scale improvements. However, we have been working hard to enhance these areas across Portsmouth and increase the number of people using our high streets.

“From holding events such as the Southsea Food Festival and Christmas light switch-on parties to opening enterprise centres and pop-up shops, there is a whole range of projects in place, with more to come in 2025.

“In the longer term, we also have outline planning permission for the redevelopment of City Centre North, which will evolve into the most sustainable city district in the UK. We are now gearing up to look for partners to help us deliver that vision.”

Local Growth Minister Alex Norris added: “High streets lie at the heart of communities the length and breadth of this country. But in many areas, they are not what they used to be.

“Small businesses need our support and that’s why we are creating a ‘right to rent’ so that high street lots that have been left empty for far too long can be brought back to life. We want shops and shoppers back on the high street – and that’s what these changes will help to bring.”

The High Street Rental Auctions powers, introduced in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, came into effect after the legislation was laid in November. Before placing a property in a rental auction, councils must first attempt to resolve the vacancy by engaging with the landlord.