Consultation starts for Wells Neighbourhood Development Plan

The figure was released as part of the Neighbourhood Development Plan for Wells, which was handed to North Norfolk District Council last week.

This plan was published online as people in Wells are being asked for their opinion over a six-week consultation which started today and ends on November 13.

In the proposal the plan looks to cut out second homes, stating any new developments should be principal residences.

It follows concerns local people are getting squeezed out by rocketing house prices caused by properties being snapped up by well-heeled weekenders and buy-to-let investors.

Wells-next-the-Sea on the North Norfolk coast (Image: Bedfords)Figures obtained to support the Neighbourhood Plan Data Profile in March 2021 from North Norfolk’s council tax records indicate that the total number of homes that were eligible for council tax in Wells was 1,563 and that 387 of these were registered as second homes for the purposes of council tax.

The plan states this equates to a figure of 24.8pc of all homes in the parish being second homes – almost 1 in 4.

There were also 224 holiday lets, which gives a figure of 611 properties which were either second homes or holiday lets, equating to almost 34pc of all homes in Wells.

The district average is 11.6pc.

Members of the Wells Neighbourhood Working Party undertook their own research in February 2022.

The results of this local survey work estimated that the levels of holiday and second homeownership within the parish as a whole are now between 31pc and 40pc.

However, there are pockets within the town where second homeownership and or holiday lets comprise up to 90 per cent of properties.

Responses should be returned to planningpolicy@north-norfolk.gov.uk or by post to the Planning Policy Team, North Norfolk District Council, Holt Road, Cromer, NR27 9EN and received no later than Monday, 13 November 2023.