The Welsh government is to launch a pilot scheme to tackle the negative impact that second home ownership can have on local communities, particularly in Welsh speaking areas.

Speaking in the Senedd, climate change minister Julie James confirmed the pilot will bring together a range of actions to address the impacts large numbers of second homes and short-term holiday lets can have.

The minister said the pilot, which will take place in Dwyfor with support from Gwynedd Council, could involve shared equity schemes and rental solutions, and will look at what happens to empty homes.

The minister also launched a consultation on proposed planning changes. This will seek views on the use of ‘class order’ in planning. This would allow local planning authorities to require planning applications for additional second homes and short-term holiday lets in areas where they are causing significant difficulties for communities.

The consultation will shape the second phase of the pilot, which Julie James MS said could involve making changes to planning, taxation and tourism systems.

‘We want young people to have a realistic prospect of buying or renting affordable homes in the places they have grown up so they can live and work in their local communities,’ she said.

‘High numbers of second and holiday homes in one area can threaten the Welsh language in its heartlands and affect the sustainability of some rural areas.

‘We are a welcoming nation and tourism is a major part in our economy bringing jobs and income to many parts of Wales. But we don’t want ghost villages in seasonal holiday spots – places where no one is at home in the winter months.

‘These are complex issues and there are no quick fixes. What may be right for one community may not work for another. We will need to bring forward a range of actions, there is no one silver bullet here!’

In addition, the minister for education and welsh language, Jeremy Miles announced the launch of a consultation on additional measures aimed at maintaining Welsh-speaking communities as places that facilitate the use of the language.

Mr Miles said: ‘We want our Welsh-language communities to continue to be economically viable places for local people, especially young people, to live and work and where the Welsh language and culture can thrive.

‘While there are no easy answers, I am confident the interventions proposed today will go a long way to addressing our objective of ensuring that people in Welsh-speaking communities can afford to live in the communities in which they grew up.’

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