Published: Friday 09th December 2016 | 12.17pm
A report submitted to the Better Jobs & Skills Scrutiny Committee this week has highlighted a decline in the number of vacant town centre units in the District.
Cannock, Rugeley and Hednesford town centres combined currently have 23 vacant units which equates to 6.67%, the national average is currently 10.7%.
In November this year the Council’s Cabinet reviewed the Town Centre Business Rates Discount Scheme, which encourages businesses to occupy vacant ground floor premises in the core retail areas of the District’s three town centres. To date the Council has assisted eight businesses in the District through this scheme.
Councillor Diane Todd, Portfolio Leader for Town Centre Regeneration said “I am pleased to see from the performance report that the vacancy rates have dropped since earlier this year. Although we do still have some empty shops in Hednesford, Rugeley and Cannock our numbers are well below the national average.
This is really positive news for Cannock Chase and I hope that by implementing schemes like the Town Centre Business Rates Scheme will encourage businesses small and large to move into our town centres. We have recently seen the Fashion Factory occupy two units in Cannock Shopping Centre which they have done with assistance through this scheme.”