Frustration Grows Over Long-Term Vacant Shops

Parts of Christchurch Green, near the university, are being spoiled by long-term empty shops.

The parade on Christchurch Road - home to Greggs and Domino's - has two long‑vacant units. The former RedServe building has been shut since the mid-2000s and is coming up on 20 years empty. The former NatWest branch has also been closed for several years. Consent to convert RedServe into a cafe called 'Coffee Corner' expired last year.

At a full council meeting on 30 June, Cllr Will Cross said local residents and the Friends of Christchurch Green have raised concerns about the empty units, which are harming the street scene with graffiti, fly‑posting and neglect, and asked whether the council could compel landlords to bring the properties back into use.

Micky Leng, lead councillor for planning, said High Street Rental Auction powers were implemented in December 2024 and around 60 properties have been recouped nationally. Properties must be in a designated high street or town centre, be vacant for a year, be suitable for town‑centre use and would benefit from reoccupation. The council does not currently have the capacity to set up an auction programme.

He said the powers could apply in principle but are not being actively pursued. In the meantime, planning enforcement officers have carried out site visits and assessed both properties under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Officers have issued a 'minor works' letter for the former NatWest and a 'full appraisal' letter for the former RedServe. If there is no satisfactory response, the council may progress to a formal Section 215 notice, which can require works within a specified timeframe and may lead to prosecution or works in default.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter