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Changing planning permission for holiday cottages

downshifter
downshifter Posts: 1,122
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edited 31 March 2011 at 8:32PM in House buying, renting & selling
Can someone advise me about the rules for letting holiday cottages as non-holiday lets? In the area where I live it's pretty easy to get planning permission for holiday lets but not for ordinary housing. Lots of people, in a burst of enthusiasm, converted barns, or chapels etc but subsequently found that running a holiday let is quite a tie and hard work so the places stand empty for much of the year.

We have a real need for affordable rentals especially to prevent young people moving away, however trying to get pp for year round rental is well nigh impossible and people are warned that it will never be possible to convert holiday rental permission to normal. It's a really stupid situation. Does anyone know of any really good arguments for being able to change the rules on holiday cottages, or do the authorities check up, and if so, how do they find out?

Makes me very angry so if there is a way of changing this, it would be really good to know. Thanks (and no, I don't own a holiday cottage, nor am I looking, but I am involved in the local community and know what the need is!)

Thanks very much

DS
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Comments

  • poppysarah
    poppysarah Posts: 11,522 Forumite
    Councillors and mps might help?
  • gooner63_2
    gooner63_2 Posts: 142 Forumite
    Cornwall by any chance ???
  • downshifter
    downshifter Posts: 1,122
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    gooner63 wrote: »
    Cornwall by any chance ???

    No, Peak Park. It's just awful that this should be allowed to happen that young people can't afford to live in places like this yet little holiday cottages, perfect for a starter home, are allowed to stand empty. Properties are far too expensive to buy. Wish there was a way round it.
  • poppysarah
    poppysarah Posts: 11,522 Forumite
    There was something on the local news a while back about how there were 6 kids left at a local school due to the number of holiday cottages.

    it's got to be down to local planning regulations and you have to wonder why the powers that be don't do something about it.

    It's always good to check the local MPs register of interest and see how many rental properties they have.
  • downshifter
    downshifter Posts: 1,122
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    That was probably at Flash - not a million miles from here and within Peak Park. The powers that be care more about retaining the beauty of the place for tourists than providing for the local families.

    If anyone knows of a case where planning permission has been changed, that would be so good to know. Thanks
  • poppysarah
    poppysarah Posts: 11,522 Forumite
    It def began with F but I could only think of Fleet and I didn't think that was right!

    You could start by forming an action group - find out who is left local and who'd like to live local, and who needs to work locally...

    You can probably do loads online organising, writing to MPs. Getting figures for number of people registered to vote in the area - how local government is affected (look up local election results etc for details of how many people votes/out of how many entitled - I assume the ward boundaries are huge)

    One of the main factors has to be motivating people to vote at elections - standing at local level is free (Not sure if you're too late for this years elections though)
    Get someone elected on the council who supports local people and see what can be achieved.

    Making it a political thing - so every one canvassing and campaigining gets asked their views - and do a summary of official party policy on "local homes for local people" and publisise it as much as you can.
  • mufi
    mufi Posts: 656
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    Here in Norfolk (North Norfolk District Council area), they've started to relax the ridiculous rules. A barn conversion complex, until recently all with permission for just holiday letting, has transformed into mostly residential use (with relevant permissions granted).

    And not before time...
  • Cyril
    Cyril Posts: 583 Forumite
    Whose to say how long a holiday is ?

    Is there something in the current approval that says you can only let for holidays of a fortnight or less etc.

    Some people holiday in Spain over winter for 6 months but its still a holiday, same amount of time as a normal letting contract.
    :beer:
  • flecker
    flecker Posts: 49 Forumite
    Cyril wrote: »
    Whose to say how long a holiday is ?

    Is there something in the current approval that says you can only let for holidays of a fortnight or less etc.

    Some people holiday in Spain over winter for 6 months but its still a holiday, same amount of time as a normal letting contract.

    Yes, I think the rule is not more than 31 days per year to the same person.

    Living in another area blighted by holiday lets, I strongly agree with the OP.

    I'm wondering whether the budget announcements on planning will help the situation on holiday lets? The conversion from commercial (business, industrial and distribution/storage) to residential is to be made much easier, but I doubt whether holiday lets fall under the 'business' (B1) category at the moment?
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    Some new builds where I live were built as holiday flats, but they couldn't sell them, so they put in a planning application to residential and some were passed for shared ownership. Still £65k for a 25% share of a small 1-bed flat, with HUGE service charges for the communal hot tub and 24 hour concierge.
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