Council commits to doubling council tax on second homes in tourism hotspots including Beadnell, Bamburgh, Seahouses and Alnmouth

The Levelling Up bill, which is currently awaiting royal assent, would allow councils to charge up to double the amount of council tax on second homes and empty properties.

Second homes are seen as a considerable issue in some parts of Northumberland, particularly in the national park and on the coast – and now the county council has pledged to act.

Speaking at the council’s cabinet meeting on Monday, deputy leader Coun Richard Wearmouth confirmed the council would look to put the new measures in place as soon as next April.

Coun Wearmouth stressed that the move would be dependent on the Government legislation sucessfully passing through parliament.

He said: “We will approve, subject to the levelling up bill, the implementation of a 100% empty homes premium after April 1 2024, and via the same bill implement a 100% premium for second homes in the county.

“This will take tax council tax on those properties to 200% from April 2024. It won’t affect properties for this year.”

It comes after Coun Guy Renner Thompson, who represents the Bamburgh ward, told members on Monday that 75% of homes in the popular seaside village of Beadnell are now classed as second homes.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, council leader Glen Sanderson added: “This is an extremely important point. We’re deeply aware and very grateful to all those people who came up during the last two pandemic years who liked Northumberland so much that they spent their hard-earned money on buying second homes, which is great.

“But, the outcome in many places has been that it has meant less housing is available for local people. So we’re not only allocating significant amounts of money in our capital programme to a new house building programme, but we feel that this might bring extra funding into it, and ensure more local people can live locally.”

He added: “There’s a balance and should this become law, it’s something we would like to take up.”