Go-ahead to turn North Creake holiday lets into homes

Michael Lynch-Bell has been given planning permission to change the use of the one-bed properties in a barn conversion on West Street, at North Creake, near Burnham Market.

He said in a planning statement: "Since the pandemic there has been an increase in the provision of holiday lets to cater for the increased demand in UK-based holidays, although following the removal of restrictions imposed on foreign travel, this demand has tailed off.

"This has encouraged a plethora of holiday lets, particularly in villages within reasonable distance of the coast, which reduces housing availability for locals and pushes up house prices, ultimately impacting on the vitality of the villages."

Booming numbers of second homes and holiday lets have been blamed for pushing house prices beyond the reach of locals in the Burnhams and nearby villages (Image: Chris Bishop) The boom in second homes and holiday lets has been blamed for pushing house prices beyond the reach of locals and the "hollowing-out" of communities which become ghost towns and villages in the winter.

Parts of the area have become known as Chelsea-on-Sea in recent years because of the number of well-heeled Londoners with properties there.

Coastal communities including Wells and Burnham Market have agreed neighbourhood plans which stipulate any new developments must be permanent residences.

Mr Lynch Bell's planning statement said his proposals will provide "much-needed small, relatively low-cost housing".

"With the permanent occupation of both residential units as dwellings, these will represent a more sustainable development than short term holiday lets, particularly from a social perspective," it adds.

The Norfolk coast has become a second homes hotspot (Image: Chris Bishop) Just two comments were received by West Norfolk Council in favour of the scheme.

One villager said: "The application should be approved but with the caveat that both should be prime residences and emphatically not a second home."

"We have too few full time residents and too many second homes in the village."

Another described it as "an excellent and noble proposal that will benefit the North Creake community".