Cotswold's families struggling to compete with holiday lets

Families and young people in the Cotswold's are struggling to buy properties.

Author: Rachael WhitePublished 23rd Feb 2024

Many young people and families are struggling to buy homes in the area due to competition with second home owners and holiday lets.

Cotswold District Council say the vast numbers of holiday lets is impacting the local community.

Cllr Juliet Layton, said: "Sometimes you can go to a village and there will be a whole row of holiday lets and it ruins the community of the village."

"Anything to do with the community, like schools and fetes, get eroded when people are coming in week by week."

However, a new government scheme could help people to buy property in the area.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has announced proposals to require planning permission for short-term lets to prevent a "hollowing out" of communities.

The new law would require people letting out their property as a short-term holiday home to seek permission from the local authority under a new "use" category.

The rules would not to apply to people renting out their main home for 90 days or less in a year.

Mr Gove, said: "This will allow local communities to take back control and strike the right balance between protecting the visitor economy and ensuring local people get the homes they need."

The council are positive about the proposals and hope it will help young people to stay in the area.

Cllr Juliet Layton, said: "We need residents. It's important to keep places like our local pubs and hotels open and we need residents for that. It's hard to keep local infrastructure open if they're reliant on tourism."

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