Notice of Motion by Councillor Gruffydd Williams
In accordance with the Notice of Motion received
under Section 4.20 of the Constitution, Councillor Gruffydd Williams will
propose as follows:-
“That Gwynedd Council call
upon the Welsh Government to change the Planning Act in order that it is compulsory
to have planning permission to convert a dwellinghouse
into a holiday home/holiday unit, and adapts the policy framework to allow
thresholds to be set regarding the maximum numbers of holiday homes in any area
to a figure that should not exceed around 5% of the housing stock.”
Decision:
That
Gwynedd Council calls on the Welsh Government to change the Planning Act in
order that it is compulsory to have planning permission to convert a
dwellinghouse into a holiday home/holiday unit, and adapts the policy framework
to allow thresholds to be set regarding the maximum numbers of holiday homes in
any area.
Minutes:
Submitted – the following notice of motion by Councillor Gruffydd
Williams, in accordance with Section 4.20 of the Constitution, and it was
seconded:
That
Gwynedd Council calls on the Welsh Government to change the Planning Act in
order that it is compulsory to have planning permission to convert a
dwelling-house into a holiday home / holiday unit, and adapts the policy
framework to allow thresholds to be set regarding the maximum numbers of
holiday homes in any area to a figure that should not exceed approximately 5%
of the housing stock.
At the beginning of the discussion, a member noted that a second home
owner in her ward had contacted her asking what support would be available if
no more than 5% of housing would be permitted to be second homes, and that she
would pass the letter on to the Cabinet Member for Housing.
During the discussion on the motion, it was noted:
·
The high number of second
homes in Gwynedd made it impossible for young local people to buy houses.
·
This was not the first time
for the Council to draw this to the attention of Welsh Government.
·
The problem had increased
over the years and there was an opportunity to do something about the situation
through the planning system. The Government had already granted the right for
councils to make it compulsory to have planning permission to convert a
dwelling-house into a multi-occupancy house, therefore, it should be relatively
simple to introduce the same regulation in relation to holiday homes and second
homes. There was also a need to differentiate between second homes and holiday
homes, as holiday accommodation brought economic benefit.
If there were people failing to buy a house at all,
it was further noted that no holiday home should be permitted at all, and an
amendment was proposed and seconded to erase the last clause of the motion,
namely 'to a figure that should not
exceed approximately 5% of the housing stock', so that the cap on allocated numbers was
set at the discretion of planners and communities on a scale that would be
suitable for the area in question.
The proposer of
the original motion agreed to amend the motion on these lines with the
Council’s consent.
During the discussion on the amendment, it was noted:
·
The problem was not unique to
Gwynedd or this period.
·
Enough was enough, and that
young people were being priced out of the housing market.
·
More than 5% of housing were
holiday homes in some villages and the figure was up to 30% in some parts of
Gwynedd.
·
The suggestion that local communities
should be given a voice in the decision was welcomed.
· One of the main principles of the planning system at the time of its conception was to create a fair system for all, but the current system was controlled by well-off people. The holiday homes situation was one element of what was wrong with the planning system, namely a system that was ... view the full minutes text for item 18