Vacant retail units in Scunthorpe at a peak
North Lincolnshire Council has been trying to help some empty units be reconverted into housing
The council leader has said vacant retail units in Scunthorpe town centre are at a peak.
North Lincolnshire Council has been trying to help some empty units be reconverted into housing, using government cash.
But council leader Cllr Rob Waltham (Conservative – Brigg and Wolds Ward) referenced difficulties getting developers on board because they are put off by the economy, as he put it. He blamed the size of the government for the level of vacant units.
Cllr Waltham made the remarks during the latest full council meeting. He brought up converting empty town centre retail units during discussion on the council’s intended action on HMO planning requirements. “For two years, we’ve tried to convert units in the town centre to create apartments,” he said.
“Yet we can’t get developers to do it,” he said, with the main reason being the economy, criticising the Labour government. “As a consequence we’re left with more vacant retail units than we’ve had before, it’s at our peak now at 19 per cent.
“This is what happens when the government gets too big,” he argued. In November 2023, £15.9m Levelling Up Fund was announced for “Scunthorpe Town Centre Vibrancy”. A key focus of the bid for the cash had been to address empty shop units. This would involve converting units into homes and breaking up larger units into smaller spaces to help promote independent business.
Another unit is set to become vacant on Scunthorpe High Street. The fashion accessories chain, Claire’s, has been rescued from administration by investment firm Modella Capital. The deal saves just over half of the chain’s 300 outlets in UK and Ireland.
But, 145 branches are not included and Scunthorpe’s is one of those. Administrator Interpath has said it will keep the 145 stores open as long as possible while other options are explored, but a clearance sale has already been taking place at the Scunthorpe outlet.