PLANNING
Empty buildings Planning changes may bring new homes
Practitioner finds that there are wasted homes throughout the UK, and suggests ways in which frustrated landlords, potential investors and anxious local authorities could bring them back to use.
The desolate face of the defunct high street. Will planning changes help?
T
he Local Data Company, LDC, (
www.localdatacompany.com) is without doubt the leader in retail location data. Local field staff carry out a rolling programme of research into
the retail scene in 740 cities and towns. The company publishes results and analyses monthly. Sadly there is no comparable single source for other types of commercial property. The vacancy rates for the individual
towns that are worst affected suggest the 32 SEPTEMBER 2011 PROPERTYdrum
THE HEADLINE FIGURES AT THE END 2010 ARE STARTLING: Location
National average 12/2009 12/2010
Conurbations & larger towns Smaller towns
The north and midlands Yorkshire & Humberside Dudley
Margate
Vacancy Rate 12.0% 14.0%
= 1 in 8 shops 16.5% 12.0% 19.0% 21.0% 30.0% 30.0%
emergence of ghost towns with blighted areas surrounding those smaller centres that still show some signs of life. Changes in shopping patterns account
for much of the damage. Large out of town retail centres offer free parking, the growth of internet shopping with free delivery within narrow time slots is a valid choice, pet lovers buy pussy food and dog biscuits from Amazon more cheaply than local pet stores without the cost of transport and the pain of carrying heavy boxes and bags from store to car and from car to home.
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