Pioneering implementation of high street rental auction scheme sees some 40 new businesses open in town centre since 2025.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has been marking the success of the new HSRA scheme it introduced in a bid to reinvigorate Bournemouth town centre. In just the past six months, 20% of vacant shop units have been filled.
Councils’ powers to conduct an HSRA was introduced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, but BCP Council was among the first local authorities to put the scheme into practice. Under the BCP version of the scheme, properties are eligible for HSRA where they are situated in designated HSRA zones and have been vacant for 12 months, or for 366 days within 24 months, and where they meet other criteria.
Where a commercial property has been persistently vacant in this way, the HRSA scheme empowers local authorities to auction leases for up to five years – even where landlords do not cooperate. BCP Council says taking this action has filled a wealth of empty units in the town and put the occupancy rate well above the national average.
Many town centres around the country are facing decline due to a range of factors, including businesses moving to out-of-town developments, the legacy of the Covid pandemic and reductions in central government grants. The success of HSRA in Bournemouth shows how local authority action can stem the tide.
What’s more, council leader Millie Earl told the Bournemouth Echo that the council had targeted independent businesses over large chains, citing House of Focaccia and Back Alley Books among the newly opened shops.
She said: ‘We’re really keen to see some of those independent businesses that are offering something different from that traditional retail experience.’ The result was ‘real green shoots’ for the local economy.
Last summer, the council reported 10m trips to the town centre over June, July and August 2025. In July 2026, the council published its growth plan for the next 10 years.
Photo by Viktor Forgacs / Unsplash
Leave a Reply