North Yorkshire can lay claim to being one of the most desirable places to live in the country, from its rolling Dales to the bleak beauty of its moorlands and the breathtaking coastal scenery.
But with that comes a huge demand for second homes, as thousands of people seek to sample life in the county without moving here permanently.
North Yorkshire County Council is acutely aware of the impact this can have on local communities, and that is why we have taken the bold move to introduce a 100 per cent premium for council tax bills on second homes.
This is not about persecuting the owners of these second homes, but decisive action must be taken to address the affordable housing crisis in North Yorkshire.
Many local people simply cannot realise the dream of owning their own home as they have been priced out of the housing market.
House prices in the Yorkshire Dales, for instance, are about a third higher than the county’s average. The average cost of a property in the Dales is nearly £400,000, while the weekly wage in North Yorkshire is just over £530.
With the proposed scheme to introduce the council tax premium, we hope that some second homes will be brought back into use for local communities.
But for those owners who keep their properties as second homes, the premium is set to provide a multi-million-pound boost to finance key council priorities, including a central aim to use the funding to help introduce more housing in areas particularly affected by the affordability crisis.
The landmark independent North Yorkshire Rural Commission, which was established by the county council in 2019 to tackle a host of issues affecting the countryside, highlighted the affordable housing crisis as among the greatest challenges to resolve.
And that is why we are taking such bold and decisive action to tackle the issue, and ultimately attempt to provide local people with the opportunity to remain in the communities they cherish so much.