LOCALS OF PICTURESQUE TOWN TAKES DRASTIC ACTION ON SECOND HOME BUYERS

A picture postcard town has hit back at second homeowners in a vote against properties being used as holiday homes.

Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk is known for its gorgeous scenery and beaches. But its nickname and reputation for amassing hoards of wealthy visitors may be about to change after residents took action amidst worries they're being priced out of buying homes.

Buying a property in the town comes with an average price tag of more than £476,000, according to Rightmove, and an overwhelming number of locals have now voted to bring in so-called "lock and leaves". The vote was for a new neighbourhood plan which maintains new homes can only be sold to buyers planning to use it as their main residence.

Out of 1,706 people registered to vote, more than 1,000 took part, with an overwhelming majority (82.4%) in favour of the measure. Locals in Wells complain of being unable to buy homes, with property prices multiple times higher than the average local earner's salary, and rising.

The neighbourhood plan said: "The growth in the number of second and holiday homes, as well as people from out of the county buying permanent homes in Wells is putting pressure on local people and their grown-up children who want to live in the town." Councillor Roger Arguile claimed one recent housing assessment on the town described it as a "perfect storm", and that there was "no way people's children could live here".

Some have also described the area as being like a "ghost town" out of season as holidaymakers head home. But not all are in favour of the crackdown. One fourth-generation butcher in the town, Arthur Howell, said the local economy was heavily reliant on the swathes of visitors.

He told MailOnline: "We need the business that holidaymakers bring in over the summer to get us through the winter. It would be very worrying if that was to stop." It's the latest in a string of popular destinations taking action against the impact of tourism and second-home buyers.

The nearby town of Old Hunstanton saw 91% who took part in a similar vote opt for tough measures on holiday homes and rentals. Norfolk's Burnham Market, known as Chelsea-on-Sea for similar reasons, has also taken action on the number of properties being snapped up by the wealthy. Similar schemes have also been introduced in well-heeled tourist beauty spots such as Cornwall, North Yorkshire and Dorset.

2024-07-11T07:47:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd