Yahoo Finance Labour plots second home ban in Brighton
Labour is planning a second homes ban in Brighton "within a year", as Britain's original seaside resort becomes the latest to revolt against the rise of holiday homes.
Members of one the country's most prominently left-wing councils are gearing up for the local elections on May 4 and intend to unleash a package of measures to fight against the rise in second home ownership, which they say is making it difficult for local residents to find places to live.
The proposals include a ban on second homes similar to those already imposed in popular seaside towns such as St Ives in Cornwall, as well as a registration scheme and planning restrictions for holiday let owners.
Local government officials also want to make it easier to convert so-called homes of “multiple occupation”, or HMOs, in the city to family homes.
Both Labour and Green Party councillors, who currently share power in the city, say the rise of second home ownership is driving out locals, leaving it like a "ghost" town in the down season and resulting in properties which could otherwise be used as homes being turned into "party houses".
Gill Williams, Labour councillor for the ward of East Brighton and opposition spokesman on the council's housing committee, said: “I would like a second home ban similar to Cornwall, where new developers have to sell to somebody that's going to actually live in it rather than a bunch of investors that are going to leave us as a ghost town, so I have lots of plans. I do hope we do get a majority because I'm very keen to implement them.
“We’ve got a housing crisis. There are fewer and fewer places to rent, so landlords can charge more money and people are struggling to find places to live.”
Labour councillors said they were confident of securing a majority of Labour seats to enact the ban.
Even if they do not win, they say support for their proposals is increasing among the Green Party members, which would make it possible to force them through.
Cllr Williams said she would also push through tougher rules on Airbnb owners announced by Levelling Up Minister Michael Gove last week.
The proposed regime change is to be rolled out across England, but how rules are enforced will in large part be down to local authorities. They include a registration scheme for landlords which Cllr Williams said will be taking effect “in a matter of months” and has broad support from across the council.
She said: “It's great to have lots and lots of holiday places for people to visit but we can't forget that if you haven't got anyone to serve your coffee because no one can afford to live here it’s going to ruin your holiday.”
At the same time, Cllr Williams said she wants to fast-track new rules which will require planning permission for holiday lets "within a year" of being re-elected.
Theresa Fowler, Labour councillor for the ward of Hollingdean and Stanmer, added residents were upset by the prevalence of Airbnbs in the city which she said “sometimes end up being party houses”.
She said: “It’s taking away homes. Landlords can get more money by having their properties as Airbnbs and don’t rent them out to residents that need housing.”
The planned ban follows similar policies in places like Blackpool and Cornwall.
Homeowners in St Ives voted to ban the sale of new houses as second homes in 2016, with the policy limited to a specific area in the town.
In Blackpool, homeowners already need to apply for planning permission to convert their properties into short-term lets.
There were 3,800 holiday lets in Brighton and Hove listed on property sites Airbnb and Vrbo in February – a 23pc increase from the year before, when 3,080 listings were available, according to analyst AirDNA.
This outnumbered the 1,605 homes listed for rent in February, according to market analyst TwentyCi. Around 7,000 people are on the council’s waiting list for housing.
