The House of Commons halted a debate on a private member’s proposal that would require owners of second homes and short-term holiday lets to obtain planning permission before using their properties. The motion, introduced by St Ives MP Andrew George, was set to address what he described as a “system that treats the housing needs of locals as an afterthought.” By postponing the discussion until 15 January, MPs signalled that the legislation is unlikely to pass without explicit government support.
George argued that the current planning framework encourages land-value speculation and prioritises developer profit over the creation of affordable housing. He warned that many houses are disappearing from permanent residence lists and are instead absorbed into investment portfolios as second homes or holiday rentals. To counter this trend, he called for councils and community groups to receive additional powers to purchase land and facilitate the development of social housing.
Key figures behind the proposal
In his statement, George highlighted that his constituency alone hosts roughly 2,700 properties listed as holiday lets, including platforms such as Airbnb. He also noted 65 private rentals priced well above the local housing allowance, underscoring a widening affordability gap. Cornwall Council’s October 2023 data recorded 13,140 second homes across the county, a statistic George used to illustrate the scale of the issue. He suggested that properties designated as private second homes, but not short-term lets, should automatically revert to permanent-occupancy status when they change hands.
Government’s counter-argument
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook pushed back against the bill, emphasizing that the existing use-class system is attached to the land or building, not to ownership. He argued that altering this framework would not necessarily improve access to housing for local residents. Pennycook referenced international examples where a mix of licensing and planning controls is employed, but he cautioned that any amendment must demonstrate practical effectiveness. “We share the ambition of improving access to housing for local people, but changes to the use-class system must be judged by whether they would achieve that objective in practice,” he said, adding that the proposed approach did not convince him.
Implications for Cornwall’s housing market
The pause in debate leaves the future of the Homes and Planning Bill uncertain. Without backing from the government, the measure may never reach a second reading, meaning the status quo persists. Local authorities and community groups remain without the extra powers that George advocated, while the volume of second homes and holiday lets continues to exert pressure on housing availability and affordability. The discussion, however, has brought renewed attention to the balance between tourism-driven revenue and the need for permanent residents to find homes within their own communities.
