Changes to Assets of Community Value rules

Communities and local leaders will benefit from new powers in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, to protect local spaces, shape their high streets, and celebrate culture, according to a Government press release here.

Local people will see stronger and more public scrutiny of their regional mayors, through new Local Scrutiny Committees.

The Community Right to Buy listing period doubles from five to ten years and the Bill introduces the separate category of “sporting assets of community value”.

The lawyer Simon Ricketts warns land owners of the problems that may cause.  He wrote “This allows assets that support the functioning of a sports ground, such as car parks, to be indefinitely listed as assets of community value. In some circumstances the listing of a sporting asset of community interest will have permanent effect.”

“Landowners should be even more aware of uses on their land which may give rise to the future risk of ACV listing and/or they will need to plan for the possible consequences. Might the fear of listing mean that owners are more reluctant to introduce “meanwhile” uses pending redevelopment?”

Simon’s full blog is here.