Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Michael Gove has today confirmed that he will be including in the Levelling Up Bill, measures to enable a registration scheme for holiday lets in England.
This follows the Government consulting on a potential scheme earlier this year.
The scheme will allow local authorities such as Cornwall Council to gather data on the numbers of holiday lets in their areas. This is a first and important step towards enabling local councils to better manage the impact of holiday lets in tourist areas.
The Secretary of State has also confirmed he will be consulting on going further still and reviewing the Planning Use Classes Order so that it enables places such as Cornwall to control the number of holidays lets by requiring planning permission or a change of use.
Commenting, St Austell and Newquay’s Member of Parliament Steve Double said:
“I have been working with Ministers for many months now to ensure these important measures would be included in the Levelling Up Bill as it completes its passage through the House of Commons. I am pleased to see the Secretary of State today confirm that the Levelling Up Bill will include the ability for local authorities such as Cornwall Council to sat up a registration scheme for holiday lets in their areas.”
“This is something I have been calling for, along with many colleagues who represent areas with disproportionate numbers of these properties in their constituencies, and I know it is also something Cornwall Council will be keen to progress.”
“Having a register of holiday lets will allow Cornwall Council and the Government to better understand their impact on the communities they are in and in turn better regulate this sector in the future.”
“I am also delighted that the government have confirmed they will now consider requiring planning permission change of use when a property is changed from residential to holiday use.”
“These are important steps forward towards enabling Cornwall Council to manage the impact of holiday lets on our local housing market and I look forward to working to ensure these measures are in place as soon as possible”
The details of how the scheme would be administered will be consulted on before 2023’s summer recess, with a view to the scheme being up and running as soon as possible thereafter.