Norfolk coastal villagers' mixed reaction on second homes

A potential crackdown on empty second homes has received a mixed response from people in two coastal villages.

The Levelling Up Bill announced in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday could see council tax doubled for some owners.

Local councils could use extra powers to target properties that are not occupied for at least 70 days each year.

It could affect North Norfolk, which has the highest number of second homes in the country, after London.

In Salthouse, 79 of the village's 157 homes - 50.3% - are second or holiday homes, which means a heavily reduced number of permanent residents at certain times of the year.

Local gardener Michael Rhodes acknowledged that visitors bring in money but said: "It undermines the whole cohesive idea of a community and it prices out first-time buyers."

Fellow gardener Jonathan Wright said: "Visitors are good for work - a lot of people are builders, gardeners, cleaners and can make a living out of it, so in that sense they've been good but then schools suffer as there aren't enough kids."

A short distance along the coast in Cley next the Sea, deli owner Victoria Pryor said: "A lot of businesses wouldn't work without second-home owners because they put their homes up as B&Bs, so we get lots of visitors in.

"The owners are lovely people. They keep their houses to a good standard and they're always very public-spirited."

Duncan Baker, Conservative MP for Norfolk North said councils would be able to raise money to support local businesses and bus routes but also to fund feasibility studies about where affordable homes could be built.

Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Withington, spokesperson on second homes at North Norfolk District Council, said the extra income would be useful but called for more powers to solve the shortage of homes.

She said: "I'd like us to be able to build more social housing ourselves. We have a housing crisis. We have 2,650 people on our housing list and about 500 are in urgent need for homes."

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