Residents and businesses are being invited to help shape new proposals to tackle the number of empty shops and reinvigorate North Yorkshire’s high streets.

The Government has introduced measures that give councils new powers to bring long-term vacant properties back into use, which include the ability to require landlords to work with local authorities to find new tenants.

North Yorkshire Council plans to pilot the new scheme in Scarborough town centre, where commercial vacancy rates are higher than in other towns across the county and currently sit above the national average.

Concerns have been raised by people living and working in Scarborough about the number of empty premises in the town centre, particularly in the Huntriss Row area, where a number of vacant units are clustered in a relatively small area.

The council has proposed a boundary within which the High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) powers could be trialled and is asking members of the public to have their say via an online survey by Tuesday, May 19.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, said: “Our towns and high streets in North Yorkshire continue to perform well compared to some other parts of the country, and this is something we are keen to protect and build upon.

“The new HSRA powers provide an opportunity to minimise the number of boarded-up properties and long-term vacancies that can blight town centres, stifle investment and demoralise communities who live and work there.

“We want to work collaboratively with landlords to ensure premises are occupied and contribute to a thriving and vibrant town centre. The auction process would only ever be used as a last resort.

“This opportunity for the public to give their feedback is the next step towards implementing these new powers, building on work already undertaken through the Sprucing Up Scarborough programme, which saw a register of vacant premises drawn up.

“We are asking members of the public to have their say and let us know whether the proposed boundary covers the areas where support may be most needed.”

The new HSRA powers have been brought in as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and may require landlords to rent out persistently vacant commercial properties to new tenants, such as local businesses or community groups.

HSRAs are designed to improve dialogue between councils and landlords to bring premises back into economic use.

Where there is little cooperation, the powers could give local authorities a greater ability to tackle rising vacancy rates, including through the use of an auction to secure a tenant.

The commercial vacancy rate Scarborough currently stands at 14.4 per cent, higher than the national average and other urban centres in North Yorkshire, including Harrogate (11.4 per cent) and Selby (7.8 per cent), making it a suitable location for the pilot.

Improving the appearance of the town is a key element of a 10-year regeneration plan developed by the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board, and the HSRA scheme will complement this work.

Scarborough is set to receive up to £20 million in government funding through the national Pride in Place programme, with the board – working in partnership with North Yorkshire Council – overseeing how the money can deliver lasting benefits for the community.

For more information on the scheme or to have your say on the HSRA boundary, visit North Yorkshire Council’s website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/HSRA-survey.