Action is needed to stop Norfolk communities becoming "ghost towns" because the high number of holiday lets and second homes means businesses have no workforce to draw on, an MP has urged.

North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker urged government ministers to provide more tools to prevent what he described as the "turbocharged" increase in the number of second homes and Airbnbs in his constituency.

Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate, Conservative Mr Baker said: "In North Norfolk, we have the second highest number of second homes and holiday lets outside of London and Westminster.

Eastern Daily Press: North Norfolk MP Duncan BakerNorth Norfolk MP Duncan Baker (Image: Archant)

"It now has 9.8pc of all its homes are second homes. Second homes or holiday lets make up some 5,500 out of the 55,000 homes we have.

"We have a huge leisure and tourism offering, but with that offering comes nearly 3,000 holiday lets, which has been totally turbocharged since the pandemic."

Mr Baker said half of homes in villages such as Morston, Salthouse and Blakeney - where he said every new build house goes for a million pounds - were now second homes or holiday lets.

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

But he said North Norfolk District Council had 2,700 families and households on the housing list which he said was "a statistic which cannot go on".

Mr Baker welcomed government interventions, such as doubling council tax on second homes and empty properties.

But he said he wanted more of the extra council tax revenue raised to go to North Norfolk District Council, rather than into Treasury coffers.

He said it could provide the authority with £8.2m to spend on building affordable homes.

He said: "It's no good if the local restaurant, hotel, care home or shop cannot employ anyone to work nearby in the local vicinity. We are talking about communities which do not want to be ghost towns in the winter."