Senedd Committee launches inquiry into second homes
A Senedd Committee is launching an inquiry into the issue of second homes in Wales
Members of the Senedd are calling on people to share their views on the Welsh Government’s work in this area, including the impact second homes are having on the local economy, society and culture.
The Local Government and Housing Committee want to hear from a wide range of people connected to the issue including first-time buyers, community groups, local businesses as well as second-home owners themselves.
The Committee will be scrutinising the Welsh Government’s actions and wants to hear the voices and experiences of people affected in order to assess this approach is the correct one.
The inquiry will also attempt to fill in the evidence gaps around this subject, with existing information on the effect of people owning multiple residential properties being largely anecdotal.
John Griffiths, the Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee, said: “Second home ownership is an issue that has become more and more obvious in the last few years.”
‘Strong emotions’
He added: “We know it causes strong emotions in a lot of people – that’s why it’s so important to get the facts right.
“We want to hear from people across Wales who see the effect of people owning second homes on our economy, society and culture; be that positive or negative.
“Your voices and stories will help us understand the reality of the situation in Wales and make sure we scrutinise the Welsh Government with the correct information in our hands.”
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This announcement is a bit like the old saying, closing the stable door after the horse as bolted. Welsh Labour has known this issue for years but have done nothing. And also we’ve also got to get away from the antagonistic Tory claims of anti-English rhetoric regarding second homes claptrap. It’s about locals having the ability to live in their own communities, Welsh speaking of not. To have the opportunity of buying a property at an affordable price. To see their living breathing community flourish, not be witness to it being mothballed until the summer months thanks to second, and… Read more »
Read all the corespondents that our local Councils have sent over many years.With very little response.
Stop all second homes in wales 🏴 and take all second homes of incomers and give them to young welsh people who can’t get on the housing market because of incomers stop being little Englanders and and be proud to be welsh it’s time for a new wales 🏴
Wales deserves so much more than this. Holiday Homes being snapped up by outsiders from England, ruining any chance of anyone local being able to live & raise a Family in their own community is scandalous. There should be a HUGE penalty for any home owner who lives in another country and just occasionally uses their “Welsh Retreat” It is time we woke up and stopped it all ! Diolch x
LOL
Don’t forget it was Neil Kinnock was the instigator for incomers to have second homes in wales 🏴 to stop welsh Nationalist with out paying rates in wales 🏴
Quoting from something I found on the internet:— “Guernsey has two housing markets; the Local Market and the Open Market. The majority of properties on the island are Local Market, which can only be occupied by locally-qualified residents or licence holders. Open Market properties are available for purchase and occupation by anyone with the right of abode in the UK or an EU member state. There are far fewer Open Market properties (approximately 1,700)…” I don’t know how well that system is working, but perhaps Guernsey dodged a bullet by not joining the UK (it’s a fragment of the Duchy… Read more »
The Jersey/Guernsey model is definitely the way forward for those parts of Cymru with large numbers of holiday homes. Regulation of the housing market in these areas is ultimately the surest way of putting a stop to it. Sadly, only a fool would attempt to claim that such properties are a boon to Welsh communities, and addressing the problem should now be a top priority for the Senedd, otherwise what’s the point of devolution? The BritNat ploy of shouting “xenophobia” won’t wash, because some of these properties are owned by Welsh people, so I urge the Welsh Government to bring… Read more »