Tim Farron asks minister to tackle excessive second home ownership in Cumbria

Last night in Parliament, local MP Tim Farron asked the Minister for Housing and Planning to allow local councils and national park authorities to limit the number of second homes in Cumbria.

Tim was speaking during an Urgent Queston on the Government’s planning reforms which will bypass local authorities and give communities even less of a say on housing in their area.

The planned changes will give local authority planning officers the power to rubberstamp development proposals without permission from council committees, as long as they comply with locally agreed plans and national regulations on standards.

Minister Matthew Pennycook said that the Government were looking at what “additional powers” it could provide to communities to “bear down on the negative impacts of excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes”.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Tim said: “The reform represents a loss of control when local communities such as mine in the Lakes and the Dales are desperate for more control. 

“With over 90% of the homes in some of our villages being second homes, we are crying out for the Minister to bring in a change of use for planning for second homes so that we can limit the numbers in those communities. Will he look at doing that in the coming days?”

In response, Matthew Pennycook replied: “I refute entirely the honourable. gentleman’s claim that the changes represent a loss of control. I encourage him to read the paper, which is about ensuring that decisions are taken by the right local, experienced - professional or elected - members as is appropriate. 

“He and I have had this conversation about second homes many, many, many times before. He knows that we are looking and are interested in what additional powers we can give local communities to bear down on the negative impacts of excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes. 

“We want to give local communities more power to tackle some of those problems, not less. The proposals in the working paper are in line with that general sentiment.”