Decision - Implementation of a Principal Residence Policy

In response to Notice of Motion request at 10 March TECC this report sets out the evidence requirements and possible options to consider in order to introduce a Principal Residence Policy through local planning policies.

RESOLVED: 1. That Committee noted the policy option analysis in paragraphs 3.18 – 3.22 and the recommendation for a combination of Options 2 and 3 for further consideration during the city plan review , as well as the possibility of a citywide Principal Residence Policy. All options will remain under investigation subject to the results of the 2021 Census and further analysis of up-to-date statistics . 2. That Committee further noted that the Notice of Motion as passed at Full Council intended the Principal Residence Policy to cover all buyers purchasing properties in new developments specifically as holiday or 2 nd homes and that the 15%-20% threshold discussed should therefore include these figures. 2.That Committee agreed to officers undertaking further actions set out in the report at paragraphs 3.8 in terms of further research and analysis as part of the City Plan Part 1 Review.

The report analyses second homes, vacant properties and short-term holiday lets in Brighton and Hove using census, council tax, government and market data. It reports that second-home ownership was 1.7% in September 2021, while estimates of actively marketed short-term holiday lets ranged from 1,500–2,000 in 2018 to 3,118 in March 2022.