THE STICKY ISSUE OF SECOND HOMES

Headlines about a ‘ban’ on second homes in St Ives, Cornwall, last year reignited a long-standing debate: is second-home ownership good or bad for the countryside? On one side is the argument that investors and holidaymakers who buy them bring money into rural economies by employing tradesmen and spending money locally. On the other is the concern that demand pushes house prices beyond what local people can afford to pay and impacts on amenities, which rely on permanent residents to keep them viable. The truth behind the St Ives story is a small but significant change to planning legislation. The 2011 Localism Act introduced a document called the Neighbourhood Development Plan, often initiated by a Parish Council, which is written at community level. If it gets the support of more than 50 per cent of local people when put to referendum, it becomes a statutory planning document. The Plan written by St Ives stated that any new dwelling must be occupied as a ‘principal residence’. After being supported by 83 per cent, it was legally challenged by a Cornish architecture firm but the High Court found in favour of the community. This suggests that Neighbourhood Plans could give communities a say in how their villages grow in the future.