Second home debate: Senedd election contenders urged to take action

In many parts of Wales, there are few issues more divisive than second homes and their affect on communities.

There were 24,873 registered for council tax purposes in January 2021.

Many are near the coast and Gwynedd has the highest number with 5,098. Pembrokeshire has 4,068, Cardiff 3,477, Anglesey 2,139 and there are 2,104 in Swansea.

Ahead of the Senedd elections, we asked what people would change - and a number were concerned about second homes.

In some holiday areas, it is claimed their popularity is pricing local people out of the housing market, and reducing the opportunity for them to rent locally.

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With fewer local people living in some areas, and possibly fewer families, it can affect schools and services, and in some areas, the Welsh language.

Since 2017, councils in Wales have had the right to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on second homes, and some have already implemented increases.

But some say it is unfair and wrong to target people for owning a second home, claiming people have the right to buy where they want.

Whoever forms the next government, this is an issue that will remain - and could even escalate.

Anwen Thomas lives in Pistyll on the Llyn Peninsula, Gwynedd, and is campaigning to raise money to buy a former chapel before it goes to auction.

She says Bethania Chapel is due to be auctioned soon, with planning permission to turn it into a holiday home.

A fundraising page has raised more than £27,000 of its £120,000 goal.

She said the chapel was "important for our cultural heritage" and it was "heartbreaking to think our former chapel will just be used a couple of days a year".

If successful in the bid to buy the building, she said she hoped the chapel would be returned to community use in some form.

Ms Thomas said there was a "high percentage of second homes in the area", which was pricing local people out of the market, as well as reducing the number of properties to rent.

She added: "It's very very important to remember that it's not the buyers' or sellers' fault regarding this, it is the system's fault for not putting something in place to safeguard communities and future generations from the decline, erosion and deterioration of the rural communities.

"If nothing is done, this place will be uninhabitable. The local people won't be able to live here. The schools will close. It will just be a seasonal resort.

"I find what happens is people fall in love with our communities and they fall in love with the area, and of course without them realising they then contribute to the community getting lost... eventually when the community is just turned into lots of second homes, they themselves then do not wish to be there and they move on to another rural area, and the process repeats itself."

Dr Simon Brooks is a Plaid Cymru town councillor in Borth y Gest - an area where it is estimated a third or more of the housing stock is used as second homes.

An associate professor at Swansea University, he recently wrote a report for the Welsh government on how to deal with the issue.

He made several recommendations, but believes there are two main ways of tackling the issue.

"Wales is a beautiful place and we have communities along the coast which are very desirable, and people like to relax. So, we have a second homes market.

"Having a small second homes market is not an issue, but if you get to a level in which local people are unable to access housing themselves, then that becomes a problem.

"And I think there's also a recognition that following Covid, with people moving out of cities, and Brexit too, because it's very difficult to buy a second home now on the continent, that this issue will probably increase in the future."

He believes there are two main ways to tackle the issue: "Firstly, we can look at taxation policy - how can we use the tax system to make buying a second home perhaps less desirable, and fairer for local people?

"And the second issue is we can look at the planning system.

"Should we use the planning system in a particular way that means that parts of the housing stock are not really accessible for the second home market? And that of course would keep a local population in these villages where this is an issue."

However, he admitted there was "no silver bullet" and policies could be tailored to individual areas.

While second homes are considered to be those properties that people visit for their own personal use, holiday lets also affect the availability of housing stock.

But can houses run as holiday lets also bring advantages?

Barbara Griffiths, who runs North Wales Holiday Cottages, said: "There is no easy answer. It is a big problem. Everyone wants to live in such a beautiful area, or else be able to come here on holiday.

"Many of our owners are actually local and they then bring revenue into the area by letting out the property that they have, whether because they've bought something as a secondary income business or whether they've maybe been left something by a parent.

"It is something that we've found over the years - that's often the way."

Ms Griffiths said the "big difference" is second homes may only be used for a few weeks a year, holiday lets try to "maximise occupancy and therefore maximise revenue that's coming into the area".

"And I think then, everyone in the area benefits."

WALES ELECTION: THE BASICS

What's happening? On 6 May, people will vote to elect 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs). The party that can command the support of a majority of MSs will form the Welsh government. Find out more here.

What powers does the Senedd have? MSs pass laws on aspects of life in Wales such as health, education and transport - and have some tax powers.

Who can vote? Anyone who lives in Wales, is registered to vote and aged 16 or over on 6 May is eligible. You can register to vote online.