Council could take action on holiday lets

Councils say they needed "better understanding" before action can be taken

A city council could take action on holiday lets if it identifies them as having an impact on housing supply.

Cambridge City Council said it had seen an increase in reports of houses being used as short-term stays in the city.

As part of a strategy to tackle housing issues, it said it wanted to establish a way of monitoring the impact of private sector short-term holiday lets.

The council added that there had also been complaints about noise, anti-social behaviour, and potential safety concerns.

The council said it needed a "better understanding" before action could be taken.

It said: "We need to get a better understanding of the scale of the problem and, if necessary, work with government and other partners to find solutions."

The Homes for our Future Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy 2024 to 2029 is a strategy for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

It aims to set out a vision, objectives, and priorities for new and existing houses, including making the best use of council housing, which it said was in short supply.

Overall objectives include “building the right homes in the right places that people need and can afford”, as well as building “high quality, low carbon, energy and water efficient homes”.

In South Cambridgeshire, councillors highlighted the problems being faced trying to provide homes people could afford in the area.

At a meeting of the district council’s scrutiny and overview committee, Councillor Stephen Drew highlighted that the report showed that a high proportion of households in the district did not have a high enough net income to buy a home.

He also highlighted that while the policy set out an aspiration to create more affordable housing, this was “incredibly difficult to achieve” as it would make “some schemes unviable”.