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New community right to buy gives locals unprecedented powers over their high streets

ended 29. September 2025

Local communities across UK have been asking for greater powers over their high streets and treasured buildings for a long time. 

It has now been announced that people will be given the power to revitalise their neglected high streets, create new spaces for young people and take back control of derelict pubs, to breathe new life into neglected communities up and down the country. 

Communities will be handed new powers to seize boarded up shops, save their treasured local pubs or libraries and clean up the eyesores in their area.  

  • What do you think about the scheme?
  • Will it help or is it just papering over the cracks?
  • Any other thoughts?

Responses by 8am Monday.

2 responses from the Newspage community

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Colin Crooks MBE HonDsc0
CEO at Intentionality
"Communities are tired of watching their beloved local pubs and shops get snapped up by developers while they're left powerless on the sidelines. The current Right to Bid fails 98% of the time because six months isn't enough for communities to compete with cash buyers. A genuine Right to Buy would finally give communities real power to save the libraries, pubs and community spaces that are genuinely the beating heart of local life."
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Omer MehmetVerified
Managing Director at Trinity Finance
Giving communities the power to reclaim derelict pubs and boarded-up shops sounds empowering, but without funding it risks being little more than window dressing. Local people can’t revive high streets with goodwill alone — they need access to capital, planning support and partnerships with developers. Done right, this could breathe new life into neglected areas and create genuine community assets. Done wrong, it will simply shift responsibility from government to residents without fixing the cracks.