Empty shops in two town centres could be be filled by auctioning off their leases.
Durham County Council is planning to use new powers to lease empty properties for up to five years in Stanley and Bishop Auckland.
The powers are available through the national High Street Rental Auctions scheme (HSRA), which allows properties to be let out if efforts to work with their landlords have failed.
Cabinet member for leisure and tourism Karen Allison said the plans were part of the council’s efforts to revitalise High Streets across the county.