A shortage of housing in Derbyshire is being exacerbated by the number of second homes and holiday lets, according to John Whitby, Labour MP for Derbyshire Dales. He has backed calls for measures to control the number of second homes in his constituency being turned into holiday lets. This comes as councillors on Derbyshire Dales District Council agreed to write to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who holds the housing brief, about the situation.
Major Problem
Mr. Whitby emphasized the severity of the housing issue in his constituency, stating, “The issue of housing is a huge one for the constituency, it’s probably one of the biggest issues here.” The proposed restrictions would require homeowners to apply for planning permission to turn their properties into holiday lets, a recommendation previously made by the Conservative government. The district council has urged the Labour administration to bring this legislation to the House of Commons.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, second homes and holiday lets constitute a quarter of all residential units in some villages in the Derbyshire Dales. Mr. Whitby highlighted the chronic lack of housing, stating, “Holiday lets and second homes are taking away houses for people to buy and live in. This is a major problem, particularly for young people… it appears to me that loads of young people are leaving the area.”
He noted that a similar proportion of homes being built in the area are lost to holiday lets and second homes. In Matlock Bath and other areas of the Derbyshire Dales, a significant number of homes are used as holiday lets.
Control and Management
Mr. Whitby believes new restrictions would be beneficial as they would allow for better management of housing stock. “I’m not saying we’d turn them all down but it would help to control the seepage away of the housing stock… on the face of it, I think it would be a benefit,” he said.
Councillor Neil Buttle of Derbyshire Dales District Council mentioned a property owner who resides in Chicago but spends only two days a year in the area. In Tideswell, a village he represents, 134 out of 700-800 homes are holiday lets.
Next Steps
The Derbyshire Dales District Council plans to raise the issue with Angela Rayner. Additionally, measures have been introduced requiring second-home owners to pay double the council tax from April 2025. The Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government did not respond to a request for comment.