Second homes plan to aid local buyers

RESTRICTIONS could be brought in by the SNP to clamp down on second homes in tourist hotspots to help young local buyers onto the property ladder.

Nicola Sturgeon is looking at giving extra powers to council chiefs in rural areas, enabling them to take action to discourage buy-to-lets if there is a property shortage.

The plans, unveiled in the Sunday Times, would bring in similar measures to those in parts of England, such as Cornwall.

It could see new housing developments receive planning permission only if they are reserved for full-time residents.

Figures show Scotland has around 25,000 second homes, with experts claiming this can prevent young people from buying first homes. The Isle of Skye, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute have particular problems with the buy-to-let holiday market.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said yesterday: ‘In some areas, particularly rural areas, second homes can cause issues for our local communities.

‘We have already introduced control areas so local authorities can manage high concentrations of secondary letting where it affects the availability of residential housing and ensure a better balance between local housing needs and wider economic and tourism interests.

‘We have also outlined our plans to license short-term lets and we will bring the legislation forward before the summer recess if re-elected.’

She added the SNP has also committed to improve affordability and accessibility for people to live in rural regions and address depopulation if it wins next month’s Holyrood election. She said the SNP will give local authorities powers to manage the number of second homes in their area.

Former Green MSP Andy Wightman, standing as an independent candidate for the Highlands region, has called for a capital gains tax on those who sell main residences as second homes.

Mr Wightman told yesterday’s Sunday Times that helping young people to stay in areas where housing demand outstrips supply is best tackled by market regulation.

He said: ‘Priority should be for local people in designated housing pressure zones, and councils should be given pre-emption rights so that houses can be sold at a valuation at the local housing market rate.’

Housing charity Shelter Scotland said the move was ‘overdue’. Assistant director Gordon MacRae said the solution to the rural housing emergency was to build more affordable homes. He added that every party in the election has committed to building more and they must now deliver.

‘Priority should be for local people’