Community right to bid/assets of community value

Assets of Community Value

The Community Right to Bid (‘the Right’), which is also known as assets of community value is one of the community rights derived from the Localism Act, 2011.

The aim of the Right is to enable communities wishing to protect valuable local land and buildings by requiring the council to maintain a list of assets of community value, which have been nominated by the local community.

Local community groups can nominate a building or piece of land which use furthers the cultural, social or leisure interests of the local community. If the nomination is accepted and the current owner decides to sell the asset, then community groups will be notified and can delay the sale of the asset, giving time to raise funds to buy the asset.

Any eligible voluntary and community organisation can make a nomination. The council will consider the submission against a set of criteria, as well as consulting all interested parties. Once approved an asset remains on the list for five years. The owner also has the right to have the decision reviewed.

Selling assets of community value

If the owner of a listed asset of community value wishes to sell it, they need to inform the council, who will inform local community groups. Any private sale would be put on hold for an initial period of six weeks to give a community group an opportunity to consider whether they wish to bid for the asset to preserve its use for the future.

To express an interest in the asset, please complete the Assets of community value intention to bid form.

If a community group does express an interest in bidding for the asset, a six month moratorium on any sale would come into place in order to allow time for the community group to raise funds to submit a bid. Once the moratorium period has passed, the owner is under no obligation to sell the asset to the nominating community group.

How to nominate

Please complete the form Assets of community value nomination form. In order to successfully nominate, it is important your community group is eligible to submit nominations, that sufficient evidence is submitted to support your nomination and that the building or land is deemed to further the social interests of the community. Please refer to the guidance notes before completing the form.

Further information

For further information on the process please refer to Guidance for nominations for listing Assets of community value.

If you have any queries, please contact:

contact | Partnerships