High Court blow to council's campaign to limit second homes

CYNGOR Gwynedd has lost its High Court case over new rules to tackle the proliferation of holiday homes in the county. But the council has said it will appeal.

- By OWEN HUGHES

‘The council was the first local authority in Wales to introduce an Article 4 Direction, which requires people to get planning permission for second homes and holiday lets.

The council took action as part of attempts to address the county’s housing crisis by controlling holiday accommodation.

It comes as some villages in the county have almost half of all homes classed as second properties or holiday lets - with a major impact on the Welsh language and culture.

But legal proceedings were issued by critics of the policy after £73,000 was raised by homeowners worried it would distort the house market by limiting potential sales.

In November last year, the People of Gwynedd Against Article 4 (PGAA4) campaign group was refused permission for a judicial review of the decision.

But following a High Court hearing in Cardiff, Mr Justice Pepperall said the review should proceed on one key ground: that the council's cabinet may have been “misled” over the nature and extent of the changes to the county's planning regime.

“This could undermine the policy's effectiveness’, he determined.