High Street Rental Auction

A High Street Rental Auction (HRSA) is a new power available to Ipswich Borough Council under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 to help tackle long-term vacant commercial properties and support the vitality of town centres. This power allows the council to help rent out properties on the high street that have been empty for a long time. These properties can be rented to new people, such as:

Local businesses
Community groups

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.

How can I have my say?

The consultation period will run for 28 days and will open at 9am, on Wednesday 22nd July 2026 and close at 5pm, on Wednesday 19th August 2026.

To support the consultation process, Ipswich Borough Council are hosting an evening drop-in meeting online (Teams) for residents and stakeholders to discuss the proposals. Council officers will be available to answer any questions that you may have before submitting consultation feedback. Taking place on 3 August 2026 between 6pm and 7pm you can join the meeting via the Teams link here.

All consultation responses should be sent either by email or post to:

HSRA@ipswich.gov.uk
Head of Planning & Economic Development, Grafton House, 15-17 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DE

Which high street areas are being considered?

This consultation includes a map for the area in the town centre to be included in the designation. This has been selected based on:

High levels of vacancy
Economic significance to the wider town/city
Potential for regeneration and business growth
The area defined as the town centre in our Local Plan

The proposed area being considered can be seen on the map below, marked in red:

Map

Street Names

Arcade Street	Hatton Court	St Margarets Green
Arras Square	High Street	St Margarets Plain
Black Horse Lane	King Street	St Margarets Street
Blanche Street	Lady Lane	St Matthews Street
Bond Street	Lion Street	St Nicholas Court
Butter Market	Lloyds Avenue	St Nicholas Street
Carr Street	Lower Brook Street	St Peters Street
Chapman Lane	Museum Street	St Stephens Church Lane
Civic Drive	Neale Street	St Stephens Lane
Clench Close	Northgate Street	Tacket Street
Cobden Place	Oak Lane	Tavern Street
Cornhill	Old Cattle Market	The Walk
Cox Lane	Old Foundry Road	Thoroughfare
Coytes Gardens	Orchard Street	Tower Church Yard
Cromwell Square	Orwell Place	Tower Ramparts
Crown Street	Peel Street	Tower Street
Dial Lane	Princes Street	Tudor Place
Dogs Head Street	Providence Street	Union Street
Elm Street	Queen Street	Upper Barclay Street
Falcon Street	Rose Lane	Upper Brook Street
Fonnereau Road	Silent Street	Upper Orwell Street
Fore Street	Silk Street	Westgate Street
Foundation Street	Soane Street	Wingfield Street
Friars Street	St Georges Street	Woodbridge Road
Great Colman Street	St Helens Street
Greyfriars Road	St Lawrence Street

High Street Rental Auctions FAQs

FAQs

What Are High Street Rental Auctions?

A High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) allows a council to auction the right to rent certain commercial properties that have been vacant for an extended period. 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.

The aim is to:

Reduce vacancy rates
Support local businesses
Increase footfall
Improve the appearance and vitality of town centres
Encourage investment

You can find out more on the Government website.

Why is this needed?

High streets are facing significant challenges and we know that having too many empty shops is bad for our town centre. Empty shops can lead to:

Less life and energy in the town
Fewer jobs for local people
Areas feeling unloved and neglected
More problems with anti-social behaviour

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.

What is this consultation about?

The consultation sets out in which parts of the town centre the use of the HSRA powers could have a positive impact. The first step is to define the areas within Ipswich town centre.

We are asking for your views to help define the ‘high street area’ where HSRA powers could apply.

We want to hear from:

Property owners
Local businesses
Residents
Community groups
Developers and investors
Visitors to Ipswich town centre

Which properties will this apply to?

The HSRA scheme applies to commercial properties in England that meet the following criteria:

Designation: The council must have officially designated the area as a ‘high street area’.
Vacant: Must have been empty for a full year in a row (12 months) or for a total of 366 days (non-continuously) over the last two years.
Suitability: Suitable for ‘high street use’ (i.e., not a warehouse).
Local Benefit: The council believes renting it out will help the local economy, community or environment.

It is important to note that:

HSRA powers will only be used in a targeted and considered way.
This process is a last resort. We will always talk to property owners to try and get them to rent it out willingly.

How will the rental auction work?

The auction process lasts for a 12-week period and starts when the council sends the landlord a ‘final letting notice’. Landlords have a right to appeal the serving of a final notice on specified grounds. The requirements for the first ten weeks are set out in the regulations.

Landlord Requirements and Representations (Weeks 1-3)

Before the end of the third week, the landlord may be required to provide the following information:

Full and accurate response to pre-contract enquiries for commercial property transactions, including any supplemental pre-contract enquiries relevant to commercial property on the grant of a tenancy
Evidence of the landlord’s title to the property;
And if available, copies of current safety and compliance certificates, if available, such as:
- Electrical Installation Testing Certificate
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Water Safety Certificate
- Gas Safety Certificate
- Fire Safety Certificate
- Test certificate for any relevant mechanical, electrical or life safety systems
- Fire Risk Assessment
- Asbestos Survey (along with the Asbestos Management Plan, where applicable)

During this initial period, the landlord is also permitted to make representations. This is regarding the proposed terms of the agreement for lease and the tenancy itself.

Marketing and Bidding Period (Weeks 5-10)

The property is advertised, and people can make bids to rent during this time.

Restrictions during the Final Notice Period

During the final notice period, restrictions on granting leases or licences continue. The landlord also requires local authority consent for any works.