Planning permission could be required in Wales for use of properties as short-term lets and second homes.

This is part of a range of measures being considered as a way of tackling the unwanted impact of second homes and holiday lets on Welsh communities.

Shared equity schemes, rental solutions and bringing back empty homes into use are among other options being examined.

Consultation on the plans has been promised by the Welsh Government and Dwyfor had been chosen for a pilot which will begin in January with support from Gwynedd Council.

The consultation ‘will shape the second phase of the pilot which could involve making changes to planning, taxation and tourism systems’, said Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James.
‘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. 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’s 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’, James told the Senedd.