MPs in Cornwall are calling for an ‘Airbnb Bill’ to tackle the issues caused by so many holiday lets in the south west.

The four MPs met Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook to raise the problem faced by local people being unable to afford homes in their area, The Times reports.

Ben Maguire, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, wants councils in England to have the power to require homeowners to apply for planning approval before letting their property out.

Existential crisis

In Wales, Gwynedd Council has implemented an ‘Article 4 direction’ that means permission is needed for second homes and holiday lets.

Maguire said the lack of affordable housing was “an existential crisis” in Cornwall.

He said Pennycook had been “quite open and receptive that the holiday let and second home part of the housing sector does need a bit of a rebalance”.

Loophole

And Maguire also wanted to close a loophole that allows second homes to be changed from residential to business use to avoid increased council tax rates.

“If we have plenty of homes for local people and there aren’t people on housing lists, the local authority will have that information and they can make that judgment to say it’s fine to let this house become a holiday let,” he said.

Places like Bodmin, which aren’t near the coast and aren’t traditional tourist places, have quite a lot of second homes.”

“People say no one will ever be able to afford these second homes, but you are now seeing places like Bodmin, which aren’t near the coast and aren’t traditional tourist places, have quite a lot of second homes on the new estates.”

The other MPs involved in the campaign are Andrew George, the Lib Dem MP for St Ives; Noah Law, the Labour MP for St Austell & Newquay; and Anna Gelderd, the Labour MP for South East Cornwall.

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