Historic step agreed regarding Welsh holiday homes crisis

Under a new rule, Gwynedd Council have claimed that second homeowners in parts of North Wales could have to seek planning permission.

Last year the Welsh government announced a series of measures to address the impact of second homes and short-term holiday accommodation on Welsh communities. These measures included permitting councils to increase council tax premiums as well as changes to the criteria for self-catering accommodation being liable for business rates instead of council tax.

However, with research showing that on average, 65.5% of Gwynedd’s population is priced out of the housing market, the local authority have taken matters into their own hands and proposed that second-home owners will now need planning permission. They can do this by introducing the Article 4 Direction – a planning tool which enables local planning authorities to respond to the specific needs of their areas – to control the use of houses as second homes and holiday accommodation.

However, implementing the tool comes with some concerns. Not only does it cause some developments to obtain planning permission when they previously wouldn’t have needed it, but it also would not apply to pre-existing second homes and holiday lets that are currently causing housing chaos for some people in the country.

On top of this the Gwynedd Local Planning Authority Area does not include the Eryri National Park Authority Area but the latter is also considering the introduction of an Article 4 Direction in the area of Gwynedd where it acts as the local planning authority.

Commenting on the matter, Cllr Dafydd Meurig, the Cyngor Gwynedd Cabinet Member for Environment, said: ‘Cyngor Gwynedd, along with organisations like Hawl i Fyw Adra and Cymdeithas yr Iaith, have tirelessly called on the Welsh Government for years to tackle the increase in holiday homes across the county and the effect that is having on our communities.

‘The report that will be considered by the Council’s cabinet outlines the strong evidence base in the Gwynedd Local Planning Authority Area to reform the planning system locally by presenting what is known as an Article 4 Direction. 

‘This would make it necessary to submit an application for planning permission to change from one use to another and help the council in protecting our housing stock and supporting Gwynedd’s residents to have access to houses that are within their reach in our communities.’

‘Gwynedd would be the first authority in Wales to introduce the change and placing an Article 4 Direction to control the use of houses as second homes or short-term holiday accommodation will be unprecedented,’ Cllr Meurig said. ‘We are therefore pleased that the Welsh Government has committed to providing financial support that will enable us to appoint additional planning officers to deal with the extra workload.

‘If the cabinet supports the proposal we will look to advertise jobs in the coming months and promote these exciting opportunities in due course.’

Image: Daniel Seßler