A local council will enforce the sale of empty properties in a Welsh tourist hotspot if they are deemed ‘detrimental’ to the area – with higher tax paid by second homeowners helping to fund their purchase.
Pembrokeshire County Council voted last night to approve the enforced sale of homes that have been empty for more than 12 months, have no indication of being used as a second home and are not inhabited by short-term residents.
The council stressed however that such sales would only happen in ‘exceptional and rare circumstances’.
It is understood there are almost 3,000 empty homes in the area, although it is not clear how many of those have lain empty for longer than a year, The Times reported.
Owners of long-term empty properties currently pay a premium council rate of 300 per cent – or four times the usual amount – on homes that have been left vacant for more than two years.
Second homeowners meanwhile, who are exempted from enforced sales as long as they can provide evidence of occupation, also pay a higher premium on council tax.
Originally second homes were slapped with a 200 per cent rate, but this was cut to 150 per cent after opposition – and is due to drop again in April to 125 per cent.
Funds raised from these enhanced premiums have been ring-fenced into a ‘bringing homes into use’ reserve, which the council will use to enable any enforced sales of empty homes.
Pembrokeshire County Council voted last night to approve the enforced sale of homes that have been empty for more than 12 months – with higher tax paid by second homeowners helping to fund their purchase
A map shows the location of second addresses used as a holiday home in England and Wales
Pembrokeshire County Council told Daily Mail the primary aim of the Empty Properties Strategic Plan for Pembrokehire was to encourage homeowners to ‘bring their properties back in to use’ and advise them on assistance schemes available.
A report presented to councillors said such a policy was needed to address ‘problematic’ properties in the county, which can ‘frequently become blights to neighbourhoods by becoming targets for antisocial behaviour, trespass, vandalism and arson,’ The Tenby Observer reported.
It continued: ‘In addition to this they can become eyesores which devalue nearby properties, become sources of harbourage for vermin infestations, and can also become significant drains on the resources of the county council, police, and fire and rescue services.’
A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman, said: ‘The objectives within the plan include the range of interventions available to the authority to work with owners of empty properties from advice, guidance and support through to more formal enforcement if the property is causing a nuisance or is detrimental to the area.
‘There are strict criteria applied for the utilisation of any legal powers.
‘It is only in exceptional and rare circumstances where every effort has been made to engage with or trace property owners where a debt has been accrued due to works having to be undertaken on the property to minimise its nuisance or detriment to the area that the authority would consider enacting an enforced sale.’