Eryri National Park’s Planning and Access comittee have voted to enact an Article 4 Direction in the park, as a way of controlling the housing stock in the area. The vote means that those who wish to use houses as short term holiday lets or second homes will need to receive planning permission.
The step follows a decision by Cyngor Gwynedd last year (2024) to introduce the policy, the first local authority in Wales to do so following changes to planning legistlation by the Welsh Government.
Eryri National Park authority presented an official notice of intent to enact an Article 4 Direction in April 2024. This was followed by a six month consultation period for the plans. Following this period Park Planning Policy Officers considered the comments and researched the complaints expressed. The Officers decided that no further information was presented to them that would justify overturning the intention to enact the policy and so members of the Park’s Planning Committee voted for the proposal. The changes will come into force on 1 June 2025.
In a statement Councillor Edgar Wyn Owen, Chair of the Eryri National Park Authority said:
“Today is a historic day for Eryri, as we take an important step to ensure a prosperous future for our communities.
Research has shown that a significant proportion of people have been priced out of the housing market in areas where there is a high proportion of second homes or short-term holiday lets. In implementing the Article 4 Direction, we can begin to manage the number of residential dwellings used for these purposes in our communities, giving local people an opportunity to live in their community. In turn, this will safeguard living communities that nurture the next generation and supports the rural economy throughout the year.”
The Article 4 Direction is not retrospective, and therefore it won’t have an effect on houses that are already being used as second homes or short term holiday lets or are converted to that use before 1 June 2025.
