Owners told to clean up (From Stroud News and Journal)

Owners told to clean up

CLEAN up or sell up, Stroud District Council has told town centre landlords.

The council has written to the owners of derelict buildings in Stroud, telling them they must clean up their acts.

And it is threatening to serve notices on those that don't.

The orders would compel landlords to renovate their shops or face prosecution.

Barry Wyatt, head of development services at Stroud District Council, wrote to owners of empty properties asking them to inform the council of their plans for the buildings.

Mr Wyatt said: "We told landlords that the appearance of their shops is affecting people's perceptions of the town.

"This is bringing down the value of their property." Only two failed to reply to the letters - the owners of the former Interflora shop on the corner of Russell Street and of the building behind the High Street flower stall.

If they do not respond soon, the council will start proceedings for a clean-up notice under section 215 of the 1998 Town and Country Planning Act.

Andrew Watton, a Stroud estate agent who has been helping the council put pressure on owners of scruffy town centre properties said: "These shops are a blight on our streets.

"It's such a shame because there would be a demand for them if only they were cleaned up."

Mr Watton said he had spoken to a few people who were interested in the High Street shop.

It is currently rented to flower stall staff who use it to sort deliveries. Property owner Frank Faryab said he does plan to develop it, but not until next year.

It cannot be done right away, he said, because he is waiting for an architect's assessment.

* A number of buildings in the town centre were targeted by the clean-up drive.

They included the old cinema, the former Boot's Chemist on a corner of Russell Street and the shop that used to be the Bradford and Bingley, opposite the Lord John pub.