Holiday homes: Love Island's Dr Alex to continue with plans

A former Love Island contestant said he was still planning on going ahead with his "renovation journey" despite receiving online abuse.

Dr Alex George, 31, said his family had "every right" to run a business as others do in the area.

Some people had voiced concerns that home were being taken away from locals in an already squeezed market.

But he said it was a "classic case of people interpreting things when they don't know the full picture".

The social media influencer added that most people are "incredibly supportive" and see his situation for what it is.

Dr George announced on Instagram earlier this year he had purchased four holiday homes in Pembrokeshire.

He said: "In this situation, a house that my parents live in that has an outbuilding that has been converted to four attached cottages, I think it's a very different situation to what people understand.

"My parents have every right to run a business as every other Airbnb or hotel in the region does as well."

He added he had spoken with residents and many who understand the situation and were quite surprised at the backlash.

"We're not developers buying swathes of land and converting it into holiday homes, that's just not the case quite frankly."

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Dr Alex said: "People can be very angry about things, and I think in this situation it was probably aimed in the wrong direction.

"If you want to change things like legislation or support the local housing authority, then you should speak to local leaders."

He added he is from the area and has three or four generations of his family there.

"Lots of my family are builders, or work in that area, and clearly there are issues with housing, but ultimately we need to look at solutions that include building more houses, or making more affordable houses available."

Describing the houses as "relaxing spaces for families to holiday and enjoy the Welsh countryside," he suggested three of them would be used for short-term rentals and the fourth for a Ukrainian family.

He said he was working to get one of the properties ready for a family fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

"It will be nice to do something to help other people," he added.

One Welsh language campaign group, Cymdeithas yr Iaith said the housing market was the problem and there needed to be legislation to ensure a home for everyone.

They added that holiday homes were depriving local people of a home and threatening the future of communities.

Jeff Smith, chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith's sustainable communities group, said: "Second homes are only part of the housing problem. House prices are beyond the reach of local people so they have to move away, it's a worry that anyone can buy a holiday home, let alone four holiday homes.

"House prices, to buy and rent, are a problem across Wales and measures need to be introduced so that local people are prioritised, to ensure local people have the right to a home and to manage the renting sector."

The Housing Justice Charter wants housing policy to be rethought.

A spokesman said: "Property speculation in large areas in Wales is contributing to escalating housing costs.

"We have over 4,000 second homes in Pembrokeshire alone. That is not including holiday lets.

"We have over 5,000 people on the housing register. The dysfunctional housing market is excluding local people from both renting and buying."