Article 4 gives park planners more control over holiday lets and second homes

Dale Spridgeon Local Democracy Reporter

Curbs on the use of second homes and holiday lets in Eryri will provide “more control” over the area’s housing stock, planning bosses say.

It comes as figures show almost half of homes in one village are used as second homes or holiday lets.

An Article 4 Direction came into force in the Eryri National Park on June 1, 2025, removing permitted rights over the change of use of main homes to second homes or short term holiday lets, and certain mixed uses.

It also removed permitted rights over the change of use from second homes to short term holiday lets, and vice versa.

Now, Eryri National Park’s planning and access committee has approved recommendations over its Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance [SPG], managing the use of dwellings as holiday homes, during a meeting on Wednesday, June 25.

The SPG was needed to identify a threshold figure for the percentages of permitted properties, to be reviewed annually.

The document also provides guidance to help those submitting planning applications, and helps planning officers and park authority members to determine applications relating to the change of use of main and second homes and holiday lets.

Threshold

A figure of 15% had been considered “appropriate” as a threshold figure limiting the number of holiday or second homes in specific areas.

In Eryri, the level currently stands at 17.4%, for the whole park.

However, 15% for individual areas was said to “reflect policy frameworks” used by other authorities.

Data showed the percentage of second homes and short term lets per community council areas.

The highest was in Aberdyfi, where 45% of homes were second homes or holiday lets.

Among the highest were: Beddgelert at 34.4%, Llanfair; 28.4%, Capel Curig; 24.8%, Betws Garmon; 22%, Betws y Coed; 20.8%, Pennal; 20.6%, Arthog; 19.9%, Brithdir and Llanfachraeth; 19%, Bro Garmon; 19.2%, Llanbedr; 18.9, Talsarnau; 18%, Abermaw; 17.9%, Llanelltyd; 16.9, Dolwyddelan; 16.7% and Harlech; 16.5%.

Among the lowest were: Dolgarrog; 1.9%, Llanrwst; 2.5%, Llanddeiniolen; 3.1%, Llanfairfechan; 3.2%, Llangywair; 3.3%, Aber; 3.3%, Llandygai; 3.4%, Penmaenmawr; 4.6%, Conwy; 4.8%, and Bala; 4.9%.

During the discussion over the threshold, Cllr Edgar Owen, asked: “So, in Bala, where it’s about 4% – does that mean they can now build more holiday homes?

“Say, if we build one hundred affordable homes, in addition to what’s there, does that mean they can build 15 holiday homes as well?

“The number for the park as a whole is 18% so we should stop now, shouldn’t we?”

Importance

Geraint Evans, Planning Officer (Policy), said: “It is important to remember that the guidance recommends with new homes, if they aren’t affordable, there should be a requirement set on them so they can’t be used as second homes or holiday lets.

“If there were 100 homes in Bala, the percentage would go down, because they would not be able to be used as new holiday lets. The percentage in total would reduce.”

Cllr Elwyn Jones queried the rise and fall of figures in areas, and asked if there would be a review.

Director of Planning and Partnerships Keira Sweenie said a review in a year would be “very sensible”.

She said: “Whatever percentage we agree today, nobody knows what the impact of the guidance will be.

“What is important is that we are in a better situation than before Article 4, because, at least now we have some level of control.

“There are areas where the numbers will go up and down, depending on trends and people’s needs.”

She added the threshold figure may need to be lowered or raised in the future, and noted that it was important to find “balance” with regard to the visitor economy in the park.

She said: “We have not looked at this problem before, the most important thing is, what we have now is an improvement.”

It was hoped the measures would help bring the numbers down across the park.

It was also noted that each application was “judged on its own merit” and that the threshold percentage was only part of the planning considerations.