Call for greater powers from Welsh Government

PROTECTING Ceredigion from the impact of second homes is behind a call for greater powers to control numbers and locations from Welsh Government.

Ceredigion county councillor Mark Strong put forward a notice of motion before Christmas calling for a planning clause requiring an approval before turning a residential home into a holiday home, add a maximum threshold of holiday lets in any one area, and including a requirement for permission before changing a second home into a holiday or Airbnb business.

Cllr Strong has written a report supporting this, assisted by council officers, with evidence to present to the council before it makes a final decision on the motion, which he recommends goes to the scrutiny committee first.

He said at full council last Thursday: “The information provided by officers states that the number of second homes is high enough that we can ask to look at the impact.”

New Quay ward has the highest level in the county, councillors heard, with 26% second homes.

Two other wards had 10% of houses without full-time residents, and there were ten other wards with 5 to 10% levels of second homes, added Cllr Strong.