Living in Sidmouth, I can take just one glance at an estate agent’s window to see the reality many local people are facing. They’re being priced out of the market. It’s a similar story in Beer, Branscombe, Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Topsham, and Seaton.
Soaring short-term holiday let and second home ownership is making it more difficult for many local people to own a home of their own.
I appreciate that short-term holiday lets can bring visitors and boost our economy. But last week in Parliament, I made a clear case that we need to prioritise the people who make our county such a great place to visit.
The government is taking action. That's via higher rates of stamp duty on additional properties, closing business rate loopholes, and allowing councils double council tax on second homes.
More action is needed on short-term lets, too.
The government is bringing in a registration scheme to bring short-term lets up to a higher standard. Councils will therefore have the data they need to take enforcement action against anti-social behaviour and non-compliance with key health & safety regulations.
Councils will also have stricter powers to block any more short-term lets in areas where they deem there are already too many. I hope East Devon District Council look to use all the tools given to them by this Conservative government.
I'm calling for the government to go further to help locals onto the housing ladder. One policy I'm pushing for is to reserve a percentage of new builds for people with a local family or economic connection to an area. We do need to build more homes in East Devon while looking after locals first.
Visitors contribute a great deal to our communities in East Devon. But their stay is often only enjoyable because of local workers behind the bar of a pub, in the kitchen of a restaurant, or tapping on the till of a local high street shop.
They need somewhere to live, too. Our economy would grind to a halt without them.
We need a better balance for communities in East Devon.
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