Details of Empty Commercial Properties

[1][FOI #11706 email]

FAO Natalie Davis

Dear Madam

In response to your request under the provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 please find attached a list of addresses of empty
commercial properties.

With regard to your request regarding the names of owners of the
properties - please be advised that this information can be obtained from
the Land Registry - hence the exemption under section 21 applies
"Information accessible to applicant by other means". You are advised to
refer your request to the Land Registry
[2]http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/.

It should be noted that how an 'empty property' is defined is open to
interpretation. The list was derived from empty properties business rate
records. For your information listed below are the exemptions when a
property has been vacant for more than 3 months:

LISTED BUILDING - premises designated as a Listed Building.

SMALL RATEABLE VALUE - premises with a rateable value not exceeding
£15,000.

DECEASED ESTATE - Personal Representatives of the deceased ratepayer's
estate.

BANKRUPTCY & WINDING UP - ratepayer is subject to insolvency action.

LIQUIDATION & DEED of ARRANGEMENT - ratepayer acting in official capacity
only.

CROWN or GOVERNMENT ACTION - kept vacant due to Crown or public authority
action.

IN ADMINISTRATION - premises where liability falls upon a company in
Administration.

CHARITIES & CASCs - premises owned by charities or Community Amateur
Sports Clubs, where there is an intention to use the property for
charitable or CASC purposes.

The attached list includes properties that may be "short term empty" but
it is difficult to identify these from the business rate records data
alone, and therefore it may be the case that some properties contained
within the list may now be occupied. An updated list to include the
rateable values is expected to be available in two weeks' time. This can
be supplied to you upon request.

I hope this answers your questions but if you feel that it does not, you
can contact me with your queries. You also have the right to request an
internal review of your request and ultimately to complain to the
Information Commissioner should you still be unhappy with the outcome.
You should direct any queries or complaints to me before progressing any
complaint to the Information Commissioner. If you would like more
information about the role and work of the Information Commissioner go to
their website [3]www.ico.gov.uk.

Yours faithfully

Zoë Bloomfield
Corporate Information Officer
South Bucks District Council

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