Dr Neil Hudson MP welcomes Government review into short-term tourist accommodation
Aiming to improve the housing market for people living in popular tourism destinations such as Cumbria, the Government has today launched a review into the impact of short-term holiday lets.
The announcement was welcomed by Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border who has long fought for a fairer housing market in tourist hot spots, such as those within his constituency. He urges people across Cumbria to have their say so Government can better tailor policy to smaller rural communities.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“This is Government Review into short term tourist accommodation is excellent news for our communities that have long suffered with the negative effects of short-term holiday lets. I’ve fought for a fairer housing market for local people continuously since being elected and it’s really heartening to see Government sitting up and taking note. I have raised this issue with Government Ministers repeatedly, including Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston, and I am grateful that they have listened to me and responded with this consultation.”
“Tourism contributes massively to the local economy here in Penrith and The Border, employing thousands of people and bringing in capital.
“With that said, I’ve seen first-hand how local people are simply being priced out of their communities due to the spiralling cost of properties. I know in Eden, house prices have risen by almost 16 per cent in the last year, which is just staggering. These pressures are being felt especially by our young people looking to get onto the housing market, who simply can’t afford the eye-watering sums needed for a deposit.
“I’ve spoken time and again to people affected by the issue, from families who can’t afford adequately-sized homes to businesses struggling to hire due to a lack of available properties for new staff, which has helped my pressing the Government to address the issue. This consultation is an excellent first step and in order for it to work properly for our rural communities, I urge people in Penrith and The Border to make their voices heard and take part in the consultation.”
Dr Hudson raised the issue in his adjournment debate on levelling up rural communities in Cumbria where he discussed the need for the Government to pivot away from London-centric ideas. His speech can be found here. The Cumbrian MP has also met with numerous Ministers, lobbied fellow policy makers and collected evidence locally.
Tourism Minister, Nigel Huddleston, said:
“We’ve seen huge growth in the range of holiday accommodation available over the last few years.
“We want to reap the benefits of the boom in short-term holiday lets while protecting community interests and making sure England has high-quality tourist accommodation.
“While no decisions have been taken, this review will help us work out the options to look at so we can protect our much-loved communities and thriving holiday industry.”
This review was prompted by the dramatic increase of rental booking websites and apps, such as Airbnb which showed a 33 per cent rise in UK listings between 2017 and 2018. Despite the wide-ranging benefits of home sharing, the Government understands there can be an impact on housing supply and price in these areas. On top of this the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has identified a rise in anti-social behaviour in local communities with increasing tourism from such short-term letting sites.
Measures already being considered include spot checks for compliance with safety rules, more support to deal with anti-social behaviour and a self-certification scheme for hosts to register with before they can operate.
This open call for evidence will allow the Government to gather the evidence and data to inform any future steps and it wants to hear the views of all parties, including hosts, online platforms, accommodation businesses and local authorities.
To have your say, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/developing-a-tourist-accommodation-registration-scheme-in-england
