The long awaited development of Tricorn House is again being threatened with further delays, as almost impossible time scales currently underpin planning permissions.
The Labour Party’s Stroud District Councillor Jessie Hoskin said: “Along with Cainscross Town Council, SDC share the concerns over the planning process for Tricorn House which has stood empty for more than twenty years. We have been working alongside CTC behind the scenes for many years to help encourage the owner to bring the site back into use. The use of permitted
development permission is dictated by the government. I share the concerns with lots of residents who have contacted me that with this type of development, there is no requirement for input from local people.”
There is already planning permission for 44 residential units at the site. The building must be substantially complete by May 2023, which is very challenging.
Empty properties are a disaster for areas like Stroud, residential and commercial.
There are almost 1500 empty houses in Stroud. Labour want to run A council tax accelerator” which would push up the bills for vacant properties.
After 12 months vacant, each properties’ council tax bill would be twice the normal rate, then triple in the following year, and so on, rising to a maximum of 500 per cent of the standard bill. The aim would be to encourage owners to
sell or rent their homes to increase housing supply.
There are also huge pressures on the high street with nearly 15 empty shops in Stroud and many more in Stonehouse, Dursley and Wotton.
In addition, much of the space in the upper floors above town centre shops remain unused for decades. More needs to be done to encourage businesses to open in our town centres, with the level of business rates identified as
being a significant barrier.
This situation will worsen with the increase in rateable value in April
2023 which will take many small businesses over the small business rates relief threshold.
Labour are planning to scrap business rates in a bid to support regeneration in small towns, the system we replace it with will reward businesses that move into empty premises, encourage green improvements to businesses, and no public services or local authorities will lose out from these changes.
Dr Simon Opher, the Labour Party Candidate for Stroud said. “Local people such as Jessie and members of Caincross Town Council have worked so hard over many years for this redevelopment. Without their efforts, Tricorn house would still be sitting derelict. It is local people that have made this happen, and I applaud them. High Streets are dying and we need to give them all the help we can. Empty properties should be used for housing. Let‘s have a future
where our local towns flourish.”
