Second homes rally outside Senedd

A rally over the impact of second homes on Welsh-speaking communities is taking place in Cardiff Bay this afternoon.

Organisers Cymdeithas yr Iaith say second home ownership is pushing house and rental prices up and pushing locals out of their communities.

Ahead of the rally, Plaid Cymru’s housing and planning spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor said the party had called for action from the Welsh Government on the issue for decades:

“We need to see planning law changed so that those wishing to buy a house as a second home or as a holiday let investment require a change of use.

“Land Transaction Tax needs to be increased significantly on second homes; the loophole allowing owners to flip their property into a business in order to avoid paying Council Tax needs to be closed; short term holiday lets need to be regulated with a licensing regime set in place.

“The affordability issue and people being priced out of their communities isn’t a crisis facing a few remote communities – this is a national crisis.”