Assets of Community Value - Community Right to Bid
The council is required to maintain a list of land, buildings or structures in its area that are assets of community value.
Community groups can nominate land, buildings or structures to us as potential assets of community value.
Land, buildings or structures are assets of community value if the main use has recently been to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and the use could continue in the future.
If land or buildings on the list come up for sale in the future then the local community has the option of six months to prepare a bid to buy the asset. However, the legislation does not restrict who the land can be sold to or at what price.
The relevant legislation is Part 5 Chapter 3 of the Localism Act 2011 (Sections 87 to 108) and The Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012. This legislation came into force on 21 September 2012.
Colchester City Council Register of Assets of Community Value
| Ref. Numbe | Asset address | Use | Date of nomination | Nominating body | Date added to list | Date of notice of intention to dispose of the asset | End of the initial moratorium period (6 weeks) | End of the full moratorium period (6 months) | Protected period (18 months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 026 | Former Lexden Springs School, Halstead Road, Colchester, CO3 9AB | Land | 17/12/21 | En-Form | 11/02/22 | ||||
| 027 | Rollerworld Eastgates, Colchester,CO1 2TJ | Sports Facility | 04/07/2022 | Colchester Food Bank | 15/08/22 | ||||
| 028 | Royal British Legion Hut and Grounds, Straight Road, Boxted, CO4 5QR | Community Hall | 10/05/2023 | Boxted Royal British Legion Club | 22/06/23 | ||||
| 029 | The Greensward, Corner of Mumford Close, West Bergholt | Land | 13/10/2023 | West Bergholt Parish Council | 21/12/2023 | ||||
| 030 | The Old Crown Public House, Lodge Road, Messing, CO5 9TU | Public House | 13/02/2025 | Messing-cum-Inworth Parish Council | 14/03/2025 | ||||
| 031 | The Crown, Main Road, Wormingford, CO6 3AB | Public House | 20/03/2025 | Wormingford Parish council | 23/04/2025 | ||||
| 032 | Middlewick Ranges, colchester | Land | 08/05/2025 | Friends of Middlewick | 02/07/2025 | ||||
| 032 | The Chequers Inn, The Street, Great Tey, CO6 1JS | Pubic House | 24/02/2 | Great Tey Parish Council | 30/03/26 NB – asset previously on register from April 2016 & March 2021 |
Assets removed
Assets removed from Register of Assets of Community Value (PDF, 66.9KB)
Unsuccessful nominations to Colchester City Council's list of Assets of Community Value
| Date | Address | Nominating body | Reason(s) why nomination was unsuccessful |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/11/2014 | Jumbo Water Tower, Balkerne Hill, Colchester | Balkerne Trust | The Council questions whether the earlier use as a water tower meets the definition of a community asset. It is not considered that ‘it is realistic to think that in the next years the water tower could further the social wellbeing or interests of the community’ given that no evidence was submitted showing a commitment to sell the tower to the Balkerne Trust (or anyone) for use as a community asset. (See decision letter, below). |
| 07/04/2016 | White Hart Public House, West Mersea | West Mersea Town Council | The Council considers the lack of market interest in the property and the fact that West Mersea Town Council cannot confirm they are in a position to bid for it means that it is not realistic to assume community use of the pub could be achieved in the next five years. |
| 26/01/2024 | Middlewick Ranges, Colchester | En-form | A significant area within the boundary that was nominated, excluded public access for many years, so cannot be said to have furthered social wellbeing or social interests, nor is it realistic to think that there will be community use within the next 5 years. |
| 08-05-2025 | Middlewick Ranges, Colchester. The enclosed fenced area with no public access. | Friends of Middlewick |
A partial listing was given for this nomination with the area accessible to the public being successfully listed however, a significant area within the boundary that was nominated, excluded public access for many years, so cannot be said to have furthered social wellbeing or social interests, nor is it realistic to think that there will be community use within the next 5 years. This area has a clearly defined boundary and has been excluded from the remaining land that has been listed as an Asset of Community Value as of 02/07/2025. |
| 26-09-2025 | Birch Wood, Tiptree | Tiptree Parish Council | The Council are of the opinion that the land nominated does not further the social wellbeing and/or social interests of the local community and public access has been prohibited for a number of years. |