One in 10 North Norfolk properties are holiday homes

Around 70,000 second addresses were used as holiday homes across England and Wales, according to new Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures based on the 2021 Census.  

There were seven locations across England and Wales where more than one in 10 homes were used as holiday homes, with coastal areas being a hotspot for holiday lets.

In Wells-next-the-Sea and Blakeney, which had the highest proportion of second homes used as holiday homes in north Norfolk, 109.1 per 1,000 homes were holiday lets.

Wells-next-the-Sea (Image: Mike Page)

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Lynne Burdon, chairman of Homes for Wells, which provides affordable housing in the area, said almost 40pc of properties in Wells are either second homes or holiday lets.

“The view of Homes for Wells is that it’s enough and we need to stop the number from rising further,” she said.

“We expect the number is rising all the time.

“Tourists are the lifeblood of Wells and it’s important to have accommodation for tourists, but we need to get the balance right and cater to the needs of local people as well.

“What we desperately need is more affordable homes because people are struggling to afford to live here.”

Lynne Burdon, chair of Homes for Wells (Image: Supplied)

North Norfolk has the second highest proportion of second homes in England, with 7,169 across the region as of April 1 last year.

Earlier this year the government announced stricter rules on short-term holiday lets to ease the housing crisis.  

READ MORE: New plans to limit second and holiday homes in north Norfolk

It comes as the total number of holiday lets in England rose by 40pc between 2018 and 2021, which the government said was impacting the availability and affordability of homes to buy and rent.

However, a report by North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) report last year found that it was retirees, rather than holiday homes, driving up house prices.

READ MORE: Retirees behind district's soaring housing prices, report finds

The 'Second Homes and Holiday Lets' report said there was "neither a clear positive or negative impact from second homes and holiday homes on the overall housing market".

Staithe Street, Wells-next-the-Sea (Image: Newsquest)