Homeowners would need to get planning permission before converting properties into short-term holiday lets in tourist hotspots, under government plans aimed at easing housing problems.
There could be exemptions based on how often a home was available to tourists. Ministers have launched a consultation on the plans, which would only apply in England. Housing Secretary Michael Gove said too many people were being “pushed out of cherished towns, cities and villages”.
Announcing the consultation, he said tourism brought economic benefits but added: “I’m determined that we ensure that more people have access to local homes at affordable prices, and that we prioritise families desperate to rent or buy a home of their own close to where they work. The plans could help out residents struggling to find suitable housing in popular holiday destinations, including Cornwall, the Lake District and Norfolk.
Salcombe, in south Devon, has been named Britain’s most expensive seaside town, with an average house price of more than £1.2m, according to Halifax.
The picture-postcard scenery speaks for itself – but its popularity comes with a cost. Rising house prices make it unaffordable for many locals, and outside of tourist season, lots of the homes are empty.
Local business owner Lucia Bly told BBC News it is very hard for businesses like hers to keep afloat outside of the summer season, when an average 25,000 people flock to the town.
Labour have accused the government of failing to build enough houses over the last 13 years. The party has said it would, if elected to government, aim to increase home ownership to 70%.
The Liberal Democrats have previously said the number of homes converted to holiday lets are “killing communities”.
Council figures analysed by the BBC last year found that the number of holiday lets in England had risen by 40% in three years with tourist areas such as Scarborough and North Devon seeing sharp increases. The number of holiday lets in England has risen by 40% in three years, the analysis from last year suggests.
Among the councils who responded to the BBC, there was a 40% increase in such accommodation – from 19,543 in 2018 to 27,424 last year.
Tourist areas which already had large numbers of such properties – including Scarborough, the Isle of Wight, North Devon, the Cotswolds and Norfolk – have seen sharp increases.
Source: BBC
In other news – Michael Jordan sneakers fetch auction record $2.2m
A pair of Michael Jordan’s sneakers from his famous ‘Last Dance’ season set a world record on Tuesday, selling for $2.2 million at Sotheby’s. With a stroke, the Air Jordan 13s became the most expensive sneakers known to have sold, ever.
This particular pair, according to Sotheby’s release, was the final pair of Air Jordan XIII Breds (shorthand for ‘black and red’) that ‘Michael would ever lace up in an NBA game’. He wore them in game two of the 1998 NBA Finals. Learn more
