Assets of community value and the community right to bid

If you are a community group you may be eligible to nominate an asset of community value. If accepted the group has an opportunity to make a bid for the asset if it comes up for sale. This is covered by part five, chapter three of the localism act 2011.

Who can nominate

To be eligible to nominate an asset a community group must be -

• a local parish council
• neighbourhood forums that are designated to take forward neighbourhood planning
• an unincorporated body that includes at least 21 members who are locally registered to vote
• a voluntary or community body with local connections
• a charity with local connections
• a company limited by guarantee or non profit Industrial Provident Society
• a community interest group

Individuals cannot nominate community assets.

How to nominate

You can nominate by downloading and completing the form below.

Please mark the envelope as Community asset right to bid nomination form - confidential and return the form to -

City Property and Assets Manager
Hull City Council
The Guildhall
Alfred Gelder Street
Hull
HU1 2AA 

What is a community asset

A community asset is building or other land that has a current or recent use which can be shown to further the social wellbeing or social interest of the community. Social interests can include cultural, recreational and sporting interests. It can be a private or publicly owned property. It cannot be a residential property.

It will also be necessary to show that the main use of the property can continue to meet these social objectives in the future.

List of community assets

The lists of successful and unsuccessful community asset nominations are available below.

Unsuccessful Community nominations

If a nomination is successful 

When an asset is successfully added to the list of assets of community value, it remains on the list for five years after which it expires. Once five years have passed a new nomination can be submitted.

If the owner decides to sell the property or lease it for a period of 25 years or more while it is listed, the owner must inform us of their intentions.

We then notify the community group of the owner’s intention to sell and they are given the chance to submit an expression of interest. Once an expression of interest is received, the community group have six months (starting from the date the owner informed us of the intention to sell) to put together a bid to purchase the asset. The owner cannot dispose of the property during that six month period. 

At the end of the six month period, if a community bid has been submitted, the owner  has the option to either accept the bid or sell the property on the open market.

The listing of the asset does not compel the owner to sell it, and the right to bid only applies when the owner decides to sell it. The scheme does not give the community group the right to buy the property, only to bid on it. In some instances therefore the local community bid may not be the successful one.

How to appeal

If the property owner does not agree with the decision to list the asset they can request a review by an independent body.

The nominator of the asset, or others, are not able to request a review of the decision to list, or not list.

Find out more about assets of community value on the GOV.UK website (link opens in a new window)