The council tax on second homes in North Yorkshire could double in a move aimed at tackling the housing crisis, the county council has announced.

Senior councillors from North Yorkshire County Council yesterday decided that those who own second homes in the area will see a 100% rise in their council tax within the next two years.

North Yorkshire has the highest number of second homes in the region, and concerns have been voiced that the trend is undermining the availability of housing for local communities as well as inflating property prices.

Council leader, Cllr Carl Les, said ‘decisive and radical action’ had to be taken to tackle the long-running issue of second home ownership in the county.

Cllr Les said: ‘There is no simple solution to the issue of affordable housing, second homes and the impact they have on housing for local communities.

‘But we recognise that bold and decisive action needs to be taken to deal with the affordable housing crisis in North Yorkshire, and that is why the executive has decided to pursue the policy of a council tax premium.

‘It may not be popular with everyone, but that is not the key factor in this decision. We need to act to try and ensure more local people have access to housing in their own communities, and the premium on council tax bills for second homes will be a significant step towards achieving that.

‘Second homes and the impact they can have on the availability of housing has been a long-running problem that has affected communities not just in North Yorkshire but across the country.’

Analysis has shown that the introduction of a 100% premium on council tax bills for second homes in North Yorkshire could generate in excess of £14m a year in additional revenue.