Brighton and Hove: Councillors call for second home ban amid housing crisis

A report to a Brighton and Hove City Council committee found more than 3000 homes in the city could currently be short-term lets only

Councillors in Brighton have voted in favour of looking into a ban on new-build second homes and holiday lets in some areas of the city.

Large numbers of holiday-lets and second homes are being blamed for rising prices in Brighton and Hove.

A report to Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) found more than 3,000 properties could currently be in use only as short-term holiday lets.

A council committee agreed to target hotspots, rather than a city-wide ban.

The "principal residence policy" would apply to new-builds only, The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said, citing a council report.

Councillors say large numbers of holiday lets and second homes are pricing local workers out of living in the city

Councillor Marianna Ebel said: "We have to do something. We have a housing crisis and thousands of residents are on our housing waiting list."

Ms Ebel continued: "When flats and houses are used for short-term holiday lets and second homes, it not only reduces the number of housing units but causes massive problems for neighbours such as anti-social behaviour."

Labour councillor Amanda Evans said the cost of housing in the city was "frankly insane" and that younger workers were being priced out of living in there.

If a ban was to be introduced, it would make Brighton and Hove the first city to adopt the approach.

The report to the council's Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee said that similar bans have been approved "in very small rural or coastal communities and largely through neighbourhood plans".

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