Climate change impact assessment
The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.
This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. The final document will be published as part of the decision making process and should be written in Plain English.
If you have any additional queries which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk
Version 2: amended 11 August 2021
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Title of proposal |
Pilot High Street Rental Auction in Scarborough |
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Brief description of proposal |
Designate a pilot High Street Rental Auctions area in Scarborough in order to bring vacant properties back into use. |
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Directorate |
Community Development |
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Service area |
Regeneration |
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Lead officer |
Mark Haynes |
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Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment |
Hannah Nutsey |
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Date impact assessment started |
17/10/2025 |
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Options appraisal Were any other options considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project? If so, please give brief details and explain why alternative options were not progressed.
Do Nothing: this is the status quo and it is evident without some form of intervention that vacancy rates will remain high.
Implement a temporary shop front vinyl wrap project: this has been attempted and has not resulted in any uptake of the fully funded offer.
Implement a shop front improvement grant project: a more extensive programme could be initiated to provide a grant towards shop front improvements. This would require funding to be secured to offer the grant programme and would require a contribution from any landlords participating. As this would be a more extensive intervention it may have more appeal to landlords but is hard to determine given the lack of engagement with the vinyl wrap project. This approach would not compel landlords to undertake improvements and may not result in the vacant premises being taken up after improvement.
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What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs? [HN1]
Please explain briefly why this will be the result, detailing estimated savings or costs where this is possible.
A full assessment of the impact on Council budgets is covered in the main body of the report. The impact depends on how far through the HSRA process the individual properties are taken. It is difficult to assess the full impact and that it part of the purpose of the pilot to fully assess benefits vs impact on resources.
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How will this proposal impact on the environment?
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Positive impact
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No impact |
Negative impact |
Explain why will it have this effect and over what timescale?
Where possible/relevant please include: · Changes over and above business as usual · Evidence or measurement of effect · Figures for CO2e · Links to relevant documents |
Explain how you plan to mitigate any negative impacts.
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Explain how you plan to improve any positive outcomes as far as possible. |
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Minimise greenhouse gas emissions e.g. reducing emissions from travel, increasing energy efficiencies etc.
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Emissions from travel |
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x |
It is hoped that footfall to this area would be increased, so there could be a negative impact on travel emissions from additional people travelling to the town centre. It is likely that increasing the occupancy levels of the town centre will increase dwell time, with those already visiting the town centre exploring the newly occupied premises. Improvements to the town centre may mitigate travel to other destinations. Negative impacts are therefore anticipated to be minimal.[HN2] [MH3] |
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Emissions from construction |
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x |
Bringing vacant premises back into use will require some level of construction works to be undertaken. This process is trying to make best use of existing resources and embedded carbon within buildings rather than developing new. |
Works will be undertaken to bring properties up to a minimum standard, so only essential works will be undertaken. |
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Emissions from running of buildings |
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x |
Bringing vacant premises back into use will result in an increase in emissions over their vacant condition. If considered against their last active use condition it is not anticipated emissions levels will increase. |
Where buildings have a low EPA score works are required as part of the process to bring buildings up to an EPC rating of E [HN4] or above. Will inform landlords of proposed changes to rules which will require rental properties to be EPC C or above from 2027 to encourage a higher level of energy efficiency improvements.
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Emissions from data storage |
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x |
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Data storage is not a feature of the proposal. |
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Other |
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Minimise waste: Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost e.g. reducing use of single use plastic |
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x |
Bringing premises back into use will inevitably result in an increase in waste generation over their current vacant condition, but not above the level when properties were last actively used. |
This will be reliant on encouraging new tenants to use resources efficiently. |
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Reduce water consumption |
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x |
Similarly reused building will use more water than vacant buildings, but usage levels should not be significantly different to levels when formerly in active use. |
This will be reliant on encouraging new tenants to use water efficiently. |
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Minimise pollution (including air, land, water, light and noise)
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x |
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Only uses appropriate to town centres will be permitted to occupy vacant units |
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Ensure resilience to the effects of climate change e.g. reducing flood risk, mitigating effects of drier, hotter summers |
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x |
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No improvements or impacts are anticipated from the project. |
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Enhance conservation and wildlife
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x |
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No improvements or impacts are anticipated from the project. |
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Safeguard the distinctive characteristics, features and special qualities of North Yorkshire’s landscape
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x |
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No improvements or impacts are anticipated from the project. |
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Other (please state below)
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Are there any recognised good practice environmental standards in relation to this proposal? If so, please detail how this proposal meets those standards. |
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N/A |
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Summary Summarise the findings of your impact assessment, including impacts, the recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.
This scheme is regeneration focused and involves bringing back into use properties that have lain vacant for over a year. Inevitably in doing so it will increase emissions over their current condition, but not above levels that would have been emitted when the properties were formerly in use. As properties have to be brought up to a minimum standard for letting though the process, including on an Energy Performance Certificate basis and having to bring properties up to at least an E [HN5] rating on this scale the emissions should be lower overall than when poorer performing properties were last in use. In the process landlords will be informed of proposed changes to rules which will require rental properties to be EPC C or above from 2027 to encourage a higher level of energy efficiency improvements.
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Sign off section
This climate change impact assessment was completed by:
Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Kathryn Daly
Date: 2/2/2026
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