City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018

6 Letting of buildings

(1) Where the Corporation has entered into arrangements for the provision by another person of a service or facility in, or in connection with, an open space, the Corporation may let to that person any building which the Corporation would have been able to use for the purpose of providing that service or facility.

(2) Where any building held by the Corporation for purposes connected with the management of an open space or its enjoyment by the public is, in the opinion of the Corporation, no longer required for those purposes, the Corporation may let the building to another person, or permit another person to occupy it, for the purpose of any use that will not cause material injury to the amenity of the open space.

(3) A lease or permission granted under subsection (1) or (2) may be for any period not exceeding 15 years or, where there are exceptional circumstances, 21 years.

(4) The exceptional circumstances referred to in subsection (3) are circumstances in which the Corporation is satisfied that a period exceeding 15 years is necessary to secure investment in the building in respect of which the lease or permission is to be granted.

(5) In exercising the power in subsection (1), the Corporation must have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the service or facility to which the lease relates is provided to a satisfactory standard throughout the duration of the lease.

(6) Before granting a lease under subsection (1), the Corporation must consult such persons or bodies as it thinks appropriate (which must include any committee or group established by statute for the purpose of consultation about the management of the open space).

(7) Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (which provides security of tenure for commercial tenancies) and section 5 of the Housing Act 1988 (which provides security of tenure for assured tenancies) do not apply to a lease granted under subsection (1) or (2).

(8) In this section, “building” includes the curtilage of a building.