More than 2,000 second homes in Dorset, data shows

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown there are more than 2,000 second homes in Dorset. Its data adds more than one in 10 addresses in some parts of England and Wales are used as holiday homes.

Dorset places third overall with a total of 2,490 holiday homes. The issue of second homes has been a growing issue in the county, with residents being priced out of buying homes in their areas by Airbnbs and out-of-area buyers.

Plans by Dorset Council to increase council taxes for second homes and empty properties in Dorset were removed from the Council’s agenda, for now. The authority wants to double the charges for those who have houses here, but don’t use them full time.

READ MORE – Average house prices across Dorset slowly creeping up

The area with the highest proportion of holiday homes is Salcombe, Malborough & Thurlestone on the south coast of Devon where there are 172 holiday homes for every 1,000 addresses. These figures have been compiled by the ONS and are based on the 2021 census.

They show that around 70,000 second addresses across England and Wales are used as holiday homes and are mainly concentrated in coastal areas, national parks and Areas of Outstanding National Beauty. Cornwall had the highest number of holiday homes at the time of the census (6,080), followed Gwynedd (2,590), Dorset (2,490) and North Norfolk (2,195).

There are seven local areas in England and Wales where at least one in 10 residential properties are used as holiday homes. Along with Salcombe, Malborough & Thurlestone in Devon, and Abersoch & Aberdaron in Gwynedd, they are Trebetherick & Whitecross (140 per 1,000) and Padstow & St Issey (121 per 1,000) in Cornwall; Brancaster, Burnham Market & Docking (130 per 1,000) and Hunstanton (104 per 1,000) in King’s Lynn & West Norfolk; and Wells & Blakeney (109 per 1,000) in North Norfolk.

Census data on second addresses includes only people who said they spend at least 30 days a year at the property. The total number of second addresses used as holiday homes, and people who use them, are likely to be higher, the ONS said. New laws regulating the ownership of second homes were passed recently by both the UK and Welsh parliaments.

Since April 2023, second homeowners in England have to prove holiday lets are being rented out for a minimum of 70 days a year, and are available to rent for at least 140 days, in order to qualify for small business rates relief.

The Welsh Government recently increased its own letting requirements so properties must be rented out for at least 182 days a year, and available for at least 252 days. It has also raised the maximum council tax premium that councils can apply to second homes to up to four times the standard rate.

The census shows that around 79 people per 1,000 local residents visited holiday homes in Gwynedd from another local authority, the highest proportion relative to population for any authority in England and Wales. The Isle of Anglesey was the second most popular destination, with 63.3 people per 1,000 local residents coming to holiday homes in the area from elsewhere.

North Norfolk (60.0 people per 1,000 local residents), South Lakeland in Cumbria (58.4), the Isles of Scilly (58.3) and East Lindsey in Lincolnshire (54.4) were the next most popular.

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