Tourists more important than locals

Potential new guidelines being drafted in by Anglesey council would mean young people desperate to buy a home will be prohibited from living in holiday chalets.

The Welsh council says high-quality holiday homes should not be turned into permanent homes because holidaymakers are better for the local economy than all-year residents.

Figures from the Halifax show that house prices in Anglesey have quadrupled in a decade, the average is now over £160,000. Salaries, however, are still amongst the lowest in Wales and many people who live and work in the area simply cannot afford to buy a home, and so have turned to alternative accomodation such as good quality holiday homes.

The proposed guidelines have angered many locals, who feel that wealthy tourists are being given priority. Carole Richardson, who teaches at an Anglesey primary school, said, "It's gut-wrenching. I'm giving a service to the community but it seems they (the council) only want to look after the people with lots of money. They're not interested in the people who are doing their best in life."

Anglesey Council feel however, that tourism is more profitable to the area "With the increase in house prices in the local housing market, there is a need to ensure that holiday accommodation bed stock is not lost to more permanent types of holiday/second homes or even permanent homes which have fewer beneficial effects."