LOCALS living in a seaside village have taken matters into their own hands in an attempt to rid their town of holidaymakers.
People who call the picturesque spot of Blakeney home say it’s being turned into a ghost town as second homeowners snap up properties – then move out of them in winter.
Getty – ContributorPeople who call Blakeney, Norfolk home say it’s being ruined by second homeowners[/caption]
Getty – ContributorThe locals have now taken matters into their own hands[/caption]
They’ve now voted for a “principal residence condition” on all new properties – which blocks any more second homes being built.
And it’s not the first town to take such drastic action – the Norfolk spot joins a list of others that have had enough of tourism driving up the costs of their homes.
The residents say their community was being “eroded”, and locals can’t afford to live in the place they call home.
In the last six years, house prices have sky rocketed by almost 50%.
The average selling price for a home has hit a whopping £747,832, with detached homes selling for around £925,000.
About 44% of the 706 properties in Blakeney are second homes or holiday lets.
Which is why locals came up with the Neighbourhood Plan, which states: “Communities are being eroded through the amount of properties not occupied on a permanent basis.
“The number of ‘second homes’ and ‘holiday homes’ is a concern of local residents and seen as a key sustainability issue for Blakeney.”
While Blakeney Parish Council chairman Rosemary Thew said tourists were still welcome, she shared her concerns.
MailOnline reported Rosemary said: “The volume of second homes is very high, around half. It’s pushing prices up quite considerably. It means that, as far as locals are concerned, they can’t afford to live here.
“It’s a lovely place to live but you’ve got people [taking up dwellings] who are not key workers. A lot are retired people or second home owners.
“In winter time, it’s [the impact] particularly marked. The streets are jet black because there are no lights on in houses.”
Parish council vice chairman Nigel Sutcliffe, 70, a retired police chief superintendent, agreed.
He said that developers had been snapping up properties that hit the market, then would “demolish them to replace them with two or three [dwellings]”.
Nigel added: “If you’ve got money you’re all right but for people born and bred in the village it’s difficult for them to stay here.”
The measures in the Neighbourhood Plan were passed by 141 votes to 16 – or 89.8%.
It comes after another seaside spot took the same action.
Burnham Market recently joined Sedgeford, Heacham, Snettisham and Holme-next-the-Sea, all in Norfolk, in an attempt to help locals.
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