Second homes force up homelessness

New data from the 2011 census revealed today that 2.3 million big-money buyers have splurged on more than one house, driving up property prices and keeping locals locked out of the property market in many areas.

Cornwall has the most part-time residents within its borders - 22,997 people said they owned or rented a second home there.

And the coastal beauty spot is increasingly becoming a homeless hotspot, with 169 homeless households - or households without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters - and 421 households in temporary accommodation.

St Ives Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, who is lobbying for changes to force people wanting to buy a home for part-time residency to apply for permission, explained: "This is not the politics of envy, it's about dealing with the consequences of unequal housing opportunities."

The MP has already campaigned successfully to see council tax reductions for second-home owners scrapped.

Holiday home ownership is at its highest in Gwynedd where there 12,012 second homes, a quarter of which are holiday homes.

But Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams said those figures could be the tip of the iceberg.

"Many parts of Gwynedd have far more holiday homes than the 64 people per 1,000 residents figure quoted, especially in some areas of Pen Llyn for example," he said.