Fewer Gwynedd second homes bought after new rules, council says

BBCWilliam Owen is at the moment changing his previous household dwelling into a vacation letThe variety of properties purchased as second houses in a Welsh county has decreased within the final 12 months, in response to its council.In September 2024, Cyngor Gwynedd launched a requirement for homeowners to get planning permission to show a residential property right into a second dwelling or vacation let as a part of efforts to deal with a housing scarcity.Figures present 250 houses had been purchased as second houses in Gwynedd between July 2024 and June 2025, down from 290 a 12 months earlier. Whereas the coverage has been criticised by some second dwelling homeowners, one resident mentioned the initiative was saving communities.Analysis by the native authority present throughout the county, 65% of individuals had been being priced out of the housing market.The council mentioned its precedence was to make sure “sustainable communities”, with Gwynedd underneath “vital stress” due to an absence of acceptable housing.On the time, some campaigners mentioned they feared the rule, often called an Article 4 Route, might make it tougher to promote houses and will trigger some houses to lose their worth. In accordance with the Principality Constructing Society, the typical value of houses in Gwynedd has decreased by 7.2% within the final 12 months. Home costs stay excessive, nonetheless, with the typical home costing £288,800 in Gwynedd in contrast with £238,098 throughout Wales.However the coverage stays controversial for some, as some residents in Gwynedd say the measures have led to extra folks selecting to promote their houses. William Owen lives in Nefyn and is at the moment changing his previous household dwelling into a vacation let.”Morfa Nefyn has been a spot the place folks come on their holidays for years and as a substitute of me promoting this dwelling as a second dwelling, it is going to now imply folks can come right here and spend cash regionally,” he advised Newyddion S4C.Nick Brown thinks extra jobs are wanted within the native areaThough Mr Owen mentioned he agreed with the sentiment of the council’s efforts to make sure younger folks might afford to reside regionally, he disagreed with its insurance policies.”They bought all the homes, of what we used to name council homes, so why ought to we that personal houses now need to pay for his or her errors?” Like many native authorities, Cyngor Gwynedd additionally expenses a tax premium of 150% on second houses.Nick Brown owns a second dwelling within the village and mentioned he additionally understood what the council was making an attempt to do, however was sceptical of the influence of its measures.”I feel it is gone a bit too far. I feel the true downside spherical right here is jobs,” he mentioned.”Jobs are what individuals are after – it is introduced down costs.”Plenty of individuals are promoting up.”Mr Brown mentioned he was aware of the influence proudly owning a second dwelling has and that the coverage had made him suppose twice about proudly owning one.Nevertheless, he doesn’t imagine Cyngor Gwynedd’s insurance policies will result in extra younger folks having the ability to afford houses regionally.Iwan Rhys Evans thinks the council’s insurance policies are serving to to avoid wasting native communitiesBut Iwan Rhys Evans, 23, from Morfa Nefyn mentioned the initiative was saving communities.”The one factor we would like is to guard our Welsh-speaking communities. We have now nothing in opposition to English folks or tourism,” he mentioned. “However on the finish of the day for those who come right here, do not disrupt our communities as a result of as soon as they’re gone, they’re gone.”Mr Evans additionally mentioned there was a notable enhance within the variety of houses within the village up on the market.Cyngor Gwynedd mentioned its precedence was to make sure the viability and longevity of communities “by rising entry to reasonably priced housing for native folks”.”The county is underneath vital stress due to an absence of reasonably priced housing,” it mentioned.”That is mirrored in that just about 4,000 individuals are on our social housing register with 956 households presenting themselves as homeless between 2023-34.”The council mentioned it was rising the housing inventory and investing £70m.”The council will likely be evaluating and continuously monitoring the insurance policies which have been put in place to answer the housing disaster,” it added.