Holiday let reforms divide local candidates in Scarborough: ‘Step in the right direction’ vs. ‘Not enough’

A plan that would require landlords to get planning permission to turn a property into a short-term holiday let has been welcomed by some politicians while others said the scheme does not go far enough.

The new controls, which are set to be introduced in England from the summer, aim to tackle the issue of locals being forced out of their communities due to unaffordable housing.

Commenting on the plan, Roberto Weeden-Sanz, the Conservative candidate for Scarborough and Whitby, said he welcomed the changes.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that it was “a step in the right direction” and “the sort of planning reform I have been campaigning for”.

He said he hoped the plan would help “prevent our area becoming a ghost town and stop young people from being priced out”.

However, Labour’s parliamentary candidate Alison Hume said the planned changes “don’t go far enough”.

She told the LDRS: “When I checked this week, Whitby has 11 properties available for short-term residential tenancy whilst there are 486 properties available for holiday let.

“The Government’s new proposals will do nothing to rectify this imbalance.”

The number of holiday lets in England rose by 40% between 2018 and 2021, with tourist areas such as Scarborough seeing sharp increases, according to council figures.

Local councillors have supported similar proposals for more local planning powers after electoral rolls showed the number of permanent residents in Scarborough was “reducing dramatically”.

The new proposals would also create a national register allowing councils to stay informed about the effects of short-term lets in their area.

Conservative candidate, Mr Weeden-Sanz added: “To build a better future for Scarborough and Whitby we need to create opportunities that allow my generation and the generation growing up now to live locally and build their lives here.”

Labour’s Ms Hume, said: “Local people tell me weekly how they’re being pushed out of our communities and cannot find houses to rent, particularly in Whitby and the villages.”

She added that Labour would introduce a “more robust licensing system for holiday lets” so that towns and villages could benefit from “sustainable tourism”.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said: “Short-term lets can play an important role in the UK’s flourishing tourism economy, providing great, easily accessible accommodation in some of the most beautiful parts of our country.

“But in some areas, too many local families and young people feel they are being shut out of the housing market and denied the opportunity to rent or buy in their own community.”