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From Heritage Link:
Modernising Empty Property Relief: summary of responses
Following the passage of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007, CLG's consultation paper Modernising Empty Property Relief invited views on changes to the system of empty property rates for unoccupied non-domestic properties. The proposals intended to modernise empty property relief from business rates by applying the full business rate to properties that have been empty for three months or more - or six months in the case of industrial property as an incentive for owners to re-use, re-let or re-develop their empty properties.
Heritage Link Funding Working Group was one of around 10 respondents (out of a total of 176) to point out how the reforms would affect protected buildings. The Government acknowledges in this summary that different circumstances apply to protected buildings and in addition that the effect of listing could be different for different classes of protected properties and to local supply and demand. Of the three options, 61% argued that permanent exemption from rates should continue; 30% favoured a six month exemption and 9% favoured no preferential exemption. Government considers a greater degree of work can be involved in bringing empty listed buildings back into beneficial use compared to other properties. The existing permanent exemption from rates will be therefore be retained for empty non domestic buildings that are listed or enjoy statutory protection.
Related measures include a new exemption from empty property rates for companies in administration and the replacement of the permanent exemption for empty industrial properties with a six month exemption. These will require amendments to the Non-Domestic Rating (Unoccupied Property) Regulations 1989 and subject to Parliamentary approval will take effect on 1st April 2008.
The summary can be downloaded from http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/emptypropertyrelief Back