Community Right to Bid - Assets of Community Value

One of the key policy goals of the Localism Act 2011 is to give communities more power to become involved in the way local services are delivered. The government hopes to stimulate social, environmental and economic growth and regeneration through community asset ownership. The policy is intended to counter the damage that can be done to communities and community services when buildings or other amenities are closed or sold.

One of the ways this policy goal has been implemented is through the introduction of a right to bid for and buy local land that is considered to have community value, referred to as an asset of community value (ACV).

When the owner of land listed as an ACV wants to dispose of it,the community is given the opportunity to develop a bid and raise capital to buy the land. This necessarily means that an owner of land listed as an ACV is restricted from disposing of its land. Therefore the legislation provides for:

• A procedure for identifying ACV and appealing against a decision that an asset is an ACV.
• Restrictions on the right to dispose of an ACV during what are referred to as moratorium periods, with mechanisms to prevent an owner of an ACV avoiding the restrictions.

It is important to note the right to bid provisions do not:

• Give anyone right of first refusal of an ACV.
• Restrict to whom an owner of an ACV can sell nor at what price.
• Require the Council to fund the purchase of the asset by a community group, although other Government grants may be available to assist Community groups.
• Prevent anyone from applying for planning permission for alternative development of the AVC

Eligible bodies and community groups may wish to nominate a property for potential listing as Asset of community Value and you will need to complete the Nomination form and provide the supporting information to the Council.

On receipt of eligible applications, applicants and the land owner will be notified of whether the asset has been listed within 8 weeks of the application. The Owner then has a further 8 weeks to appeal against any listing.

For more details on what information is needed and whether you are entitled to nominate a property for listing download the form here. For Local Guidance on the community Right to Bid please click here.

For more information visit the following websites:

Community Right to Bid

Click here to view the list of Community Assets

Click here to view the list of land nominated by unsuccessful community nominations