Community assets and register
Assets of Community Value (ACVs)
As part of the Localism Act local authorities are required to maintain a list of assets of community value which have been nominated by the local community.
What is an Assets of Community Value?
An Asset of Community Value (ACV) is land or buildings nominated by a Parish or Town council, or a local voluntary or community group and which the District Council decides meets the requirements to be listed as an Asset of Community Value. The statutory rules about assets of community value can be found in sections 87 – 103 of the Localism Act 2011 (external link) and in The Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012 (external link).
To summarise these regulations, a building or other land is an asset of community value if its main use (i.e. non-ancillary use) has recently been or is presently used to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future. The Localism Act states that ‘social interests’ include cultural, recreational and sporting interests.
Why nominate an ACV?
The overall purpose of the ACV process is to give communities an opportunity to purchase a community asset should it come up for sale.
Once registered as an ACV, the community can enact the Community Right to Bid. This is a series of moratoriums which can be triggered when an asset is put up for sale by its current owner.
There are two moratorium periods. Both start from the date the owner of the asset tells the local authority of their intention to sell. The first is the interim moratorium period, which is six weeks, during which time a community organisation can decide if they want to be considered as a potential bidder. If a community organisation registers to be considered as a potential bidder, this triggers the second moratorium, or full moratorium period, which is six months, during which a community organisation can develop a proposal and raise the money required to bid to buy the asset.
It should be noted that the owner of an asset has no obligation to sell to a community group during the moratorium period, but the process gives the community an opportunity to develop a bid.
Should a planning application be made to change the use of a listed asset, its ACV status will not automatically be a material planning consideration, however its relevance to an application will be considered on a case by case basis in conjunction with current planning policy.
What can be nominated?
Anything that fulfils the requirements as set out in the regulations as summarised above i.e. the main use furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community. ACV nominations could therefore include: pubs, public open spaces, civic halls and buildings, sports facilities, markets etc.
What can’t be nominated?
The regulations stipulate some instances where land or buildings cannot be registered. This is usually land or buildings considered to be a residence, or land deemed to be “operational” e.g. train stations or bus stations.
A building which has never had a community use, but which the local community feels could be used for a community use in the future, would not meet the requirements as it has not recently been used to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community. Likewise, land or buildings which have recently had a community use, but for which the current owner has successfully achieved a lawful change of use, would not meet the requirements as there is no real prospect that it could further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community in the future.
What happens after a successful nomination?
If a nomination is approved, the asset will be listed on the District Councils’ website, as well as being registered with the Land Registry and Local Land Charges as an Asset of Community Value. Land owners are then required to inform the District Council of their intention to sell an asset. The listing will expire after 5 years; after which it can be re-nominated.
How to nominate?
Please use the nomination form:
Community asset register
Please use our planning Public Access service and search for Community Asset Nominations under the Application Type field.
Search online register of community assets