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Hundreds turn out at Tryweryn rally to call for action on high house prices and second homes

10 Jul 2021 5 minute read
Cymdeithas yr Iaith protest at the Tryweryn dam. Picture by Sylvia Prys Jones.

Hundreds turned out to a rally at the Tryweryn dam today to call on the Welsh Government to take action on high house prices and second homes.

The protestors formed a line along the 600-metre long dam near Bala, on the shores on the artificial lake created by drowning the Welsh-speaking village of Capel Celyn.

Those attending the rally were addressed by the founder of Llety Arall, Menna Machreth, the musician Dafydd Iwan, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS and the former Labour candidate for the Dwyfor-Meirionnydd constituency, Cian Ireland.

The rally follows the Welsh Government’s announcement this week that it will consult and develop a pilot in order to tackle the effects of high house prices on communities and the Welsh language.

The proposals were branded by language campaigners Cymdeithas yr Iaith as “vague and uninspiring” and “the latest example of the Government remaining complacent while there is a crisis in the housing market across Wales”.

It was revealed this week that almost half of all homes sold in Dwyfor Meirionnydd during 2020/21 were to be used as a second home.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith protest at the Tryweryn dam. Picture by Sylvia Prys Jones.

On Monday the Welsh Government unveiled its plan to tackle the second homes crisis, which is blamed for driving up prices and making communities in many rural areas unaffordable.

It will include setting up a pilot area in Wales – to be decided over the summer – where new measures will be trialled before a wider rollout.

The Welsh Government’s three-pronged approach will focus on:

  • Support addressing the affordability and availability of housing;
  • The introduction of a statutory registration scheme for holiday accommodation;
  • Using national and local taxation systems to ensure second home owners make a fair and effective contribution to the communities in which they buy.

However, the plan was slammed as “weak” by Plaid Cymru who said it was “an exercise in kicking the problem into the long grass”.

Plaid Cymru Housing Spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor MS however said he was unimpressed.

“This so-called ‘ambitious approach’ to tackle the second homes housing crisis is an exercise in kicking the problem into the long grass without taking the necessary urgent action to deal with the crisis facing our communities,” he said.

“These weak measures will not be nearly enough to truly get to grips with a housing emergency that is fast engulfing our communities at an alarming rate. There is nothing here about closing the council tax loophole. There is nothing here about imposing caps on second homes.

‘Urgency’

But Minister Julie James said that the continuing rise of house prices meant that people, especially younger generations, could no longer afford to live in the communities they had grown up in.

“A high concentration of second homes or holiday lets can have a very detrimental impact on small communities, and in some areas could compromise the Welsh language being spoken at a community level,” she said.

“We have already taken strides on some of these issues – last year we became the only nation in the UK to give local authorities the power to introduce a 100% council tax levy on second homes.

“But the urgency and gravity of this situation calls for further intervention, which means real and ambitious actions are delivered at pace, to inject fairness back into the housing system.

“Taking recommendations from Dr [Simon] Brooks’ report, our new three-pronged approach will kick-start a summer of action which will determine how we tackle this issue now and into the future.

“I am calling on all political parties across the Senedd to get involved in this, as we look to empower our communities to exercise their right to live in good quality homes, wherever they are in Wales.”

Cymdeithas yr Iaith protest at the Tryweryn dam. Picture by Sylvia Prys Jones.

‘Political will’

Speaking ahead of today’s rally, Mabli Siriol Jones, national Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, said that while the problems caused by the housing market manifested themselves differently in different areas, the result was the same:.

“Young people are unable to find homes in their own communities,” she said. “The people present at the Tryweryn Rally will be calling on the Welsh Government to take serious action for social justice and to secure the survival of Welsh as a community language.

“We don’t need more pilots, consultations and statements without substance from the Welsh Government. What we need is action.

“As urgent steps, we’re calling for the introduction of a tax on tourism, on landlords’ profits and on second houses, and for the money raised to be invested in bringing empty and second houses back into community use. We are also calling for a Property Act to be introduced that will ensure community control over the housing market and the planning process, for a change in the definition of affordable homes, for controls to be introduced on house and rent prices, and for a cap to be introduced on the number of holiday houses in any given community.

“We already have the answers, what we now need is political will. This is an opportunity for the Government to listen and ensure a home for everyone, as well as strong, Welsh-speaking communities in all parts of the country”.


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Gwyn Williams
Gwyn Williams
2 years ago

Would you care to elaborate on your assertions?

Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
2 years ago

Some negative voices said the same thing when gwynfor evans promised to fast to death when the uk govt reneged on a promise to set up a welsh language tv channel…..s4c will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.

While without protests by groups like Cymdeithas yr Iaith we wouldnt even have bilingual road signs in wales

Sion Roberts
Sion Roberts
2 years ago

Brilliant rali, not hundreds, more like several thousand there! Looking forward to seeing the drone footage.

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

Well done everyone. Ymlaen i Gymru rydd.

Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
2 years ago

You posted that nonsense earlier – did you delete it? And i pointed out to you that there were similar negative voices when gwynfor evans vowed to fast to death in protest at the uk govt reneging on a promise to set up a welsh tv channel…..and as a result of gwynfor’s protest s4c will be celebrating its 40th anniversary next year.

I also pointed out to you that if it wasnt for protests by groups like Cymdeithas yr Iaith we wouldnt even have bilingual road signs in wales

Chris
Chris
2 years ago

Yo are Josh. And yet you still posted

GARETH WESTACOTT
GARETH WESTACOTT
2 years ago

They could have had a lot more people there if they hadn’t held it in such a remote place; in a town like Pwllheli maybe, or Caernarfon. It would have caused a much greater impact. No one and nothing to witness the rally at Tryweryn – only sheep and crows. Crazy idea.

j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago

And the ghosts?

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago

Gobeithio fydd y Llywodraeth Cymru’n gwrando arnyn nhw.

Gill Jones
Gill Jones
2 years ago
Reply to  Wrexhamian

Paid dal dy wynt.
Fiddling whilst Rome burns, ma’ arnaf ofn!

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago
Reply to  Gill Jones

Trist ond gwir.

Last edited 2 years ago by Wrexhamian

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