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Minister confirms plans to follow Wales in introducing a licencing scheme for second homes in England

20 Feb 2023 3 minute read
St Ives, a popular tourism destination in Cornwall. CC0 Public Domain.

The UK Government’s Communities Minister has confirmed plans to follow Wales and introduce a licencing scheme for second homes in England.

Rachel Maclean confirmed the move was being considered in response to a question from Labour MP Luke Pollard (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport), who is shadow defence minister but was speaking from the backbenches.

Mr Pollard said in Devon and Cornwall “families are being turfed out of their private rented properties under section 21 notices and their homes are being turned into second homes and Airbnbs”.

He said: “Does the minister agree… that it’s time not only for increases in council tax on second homes, but also a proper licensing regime so communities can decide how many second homes should be in their community to stop them being hollowed out?”

Ms Maclean said: “Yes, and I very much thank him for bringing this issue to the floor of the House… We are looking at this issue of registration on second homes through the measures in the levelling up bill and through other frameworks.

“It’s absolutely right that we understand that naturally people want to go on holiday to these beautiful areas, but there is also an impact on communities, and that is why we need to have this registration scheme so we can understand and better mitigate that.”

Co-operation agreement

The introduction of a licensing scheme for all visitor accommodation in Wales was confirmed last year as part of the co-operation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

The scheme is part of a package of measures which aims to address the negative impact second homes and short-term holiday lets can have on the availability and affordability of housing for local people.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething launched a consultation on the proposals last December, which runs until 17 March.

The Welsh Conservatives have strongly opposed proposals to curb the number of second homes and in October last year, Shadow Housing Minister Janet Finch-Saunders described the measures already put in place as creating “a tsunami driving landlords to sell up”.

The Senedd Member for Aberconwy also claimed efforts to reduce the number of holiday homes in communities is exacerbating the shortage of private rental properties in Wales.

“The anti-multiple ownership policies stemming out of the Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour cooperation government are driving private landlords out of the sector,” Mrs Finch-Saunders told the Senedd.


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Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

The irony. Wonder if Andrew RT Davies & Welsh Conservatives will call this move by their Whitehall master as Anti-Welsh as they did Anti-English with the Welsh Labour/Plaid Cymru co-operation deal? Funny, the very same Welsh Conservatives on their website have a thread calling the Welsh Labour/Plaid policy a tax and a hammer blow to Welsh tourism. Wonder if similar attacks will be made towards their beloved English masters in London? Is there such a thing as a honest Tory? There’s your answer. I can remember when the Welsh Conservatives bemoaned the charge introduced in by the Senedd for single… Read more »

Glwyo
Glwyo
1 year ago

Oh no! English tourism is doomed! Once again we witness the English government’s celtophobia!

Rhufawn Jones
Rhufawn Jones
1 year ago

Anti-Welsh discrimanatory policy. I’m never going on holiday there again. I’ll go to Rhyl and watch their economy collapse.

Iain Graham
Iain Graham
1 year ago

Have the Tories not heard about the Portuguese are doing about this issue. Or are they aware that in two Australian state similar regulations are being argued for. Second homes etc killed local communities

NOT Grayham Jones
NOT Grayham Jones
1 year ago

This article is very poorly written NC- The following paragraph is all wrong JFS is referring purely to long term rentals and the policies the Welsh Govt are pursuing which is driving Landlords out of the market. The second homes/Holiday lets issue is different and not referred to by her. “The Welsh Conservatives have strongly opposed proposals to curb the number of second homes and in October last year, Shadow Housing Minister Janet Finch-Saunders described the measures already put in place as creating “a tsunami driving landlords to sell up”. The Senedd Member for Aberconwy also claimed efforts to reduce… Read more »

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