Wales’ ‘desolate, half empty towns and villages’ with one county near top of UK second home table

Gwynedd has one of the highest proportions of holiday homes of any part of England and Wales according to a study. There are fears this is “driving local people out of the property market” and “creating desolation, half-empty towns and villages in winter”.

The county is only behind South Hams, on the south coast of Devon, when it comes to mainland counties, with the Isles of Scilly top overall but based on very small total property numbers. In the new study conducted by Howden Insurance, there are 2,590 holiday homes in Gwynedd to 63,220 total residences – equating to 4.1%.

This is actually a major underestimation according to the Office of National Statistics who say census figures only include people who usually reside in England and Wales who said they spend at least 30 days a year at the address.

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The total number of second addresses used as holiday homes are “likely to be higher”, they added. The stats also don’t include full time holiday lets. It does though give a good indication on how Gwynedd compares to other parts of Wales and England. reports North Wales Live.

In the county itself there will be huge variations in those proportions. For example in Aberdyfi nearly half (43%) of all properties are holiday lets or second homes and it is around a quarter in places like Beddgelert and Aberdaron. While many express fears over the impact of second homes and holidays lets on communities others point out the economic benefits of people coming to the region and spending in shops and restaurants. You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.

Anglesey is fifth in the ranking with 1,190 holiday homes to 36,215 total dwellings, equivalent to 3.3% but again the current figure will be higher The county of Pembrokeshire, located in the south-west of Wales is in eighth place with 64,400 total residences and 1,800 holiday homes.

Plaid MS Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said: ”Rising volumes of second homes has caused many problems for rural communities such as Dwyfor Meirionnydd – pushing up house prices beyond the reach of local salaries, especially for the young, who find it near-on impossible getting a foot on the local housing ladder.

“)The proliferation of second homes hollows out communities. It leads to depopulation and threatens the sustainability and fabric of our communities for future generations. Plaid Cymru has long called on the Welsh government to get a firm handle on this crisis.”

“I am pleased that action is finally being taken on second homes, thanks to our work in the Co Operation Agreement with the Welsh Government and the implementation of the Article 4 directive which will help address this problem. The truth of the matter is that the overuse of properties as second homes is driving local people out of the property market, putting unacceptable pressures on local services in peak season, and creating desolate, half-empty towns and villages in winter.””

A spokesperson from Howden Insurance said: “These insights highlight the popularity of holiday home ownership across England and Wales and identify the areas where current property owners would benefit from letting their home out this holiday season.”

“The data also reflects the growing interest in holiday home rentals, offering families and individuals diverse accommodation options. Findings like these not only shed light on housing patterns but also offer valuable information for prospective holiday makers seeking varied accommodation choices.”

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