England: local authority rental auctions of vacant high street premises: designation, notices, auction process, tenancy terms, appeals and enforcement under LURA 2023 Part 10 and 2024 Regulations

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Practice notes

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Sections 191–218 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA 2023) (Part 10) set out powers allowing local authorities (LAs) to run rental auctions for empty high street and town centre premises and then grant lettings without the consent of the owner (landlord), any superior landlord, or a mortgagee. The scope of Part 10 is limited to England. These provisions took effect on 2 December 2024 and are supported by the Local Authorities (Rental Auctions) (England) and Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, SI 2024/1139 (LA(RA) 2024 Regs). The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has issued non-statutory Guidance on high street rental auctions (Guidance), which provides a handy flowchart of the process from start to finish and template forms, letters, tenancy contract and tenancy.

Background—the high street vacancy problem

In the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy published in July 2021, and the Levelling up white paper, the government set out an ambition to explore policy measures that could tackle the problem of vacant shops and offices and give LAs powers to address vacancy rates...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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