Flintshire Council to push for stronger licensing powers to regulate large holiday lets
Large-scale holiday rental properties need more powerful regulation by Welsh Government according to Flintshire County Council.
The council unanimously supported a Notice of Motion by Liberal Democrat Cllr Fran Lister to lobby the Senedd to introduce a licensing regime for high-occupancy holiday rentals and AirBnB-style properties which sleep 10 or more people.
The Brynford and Halkyn councillor brought the motion to full council after receiving complaints from residents relating to a holiday rental property in Halkyn.
Flintshire will now ask Welsh Government to look at implementing a new licensing regime to give councils the power to place further restrictions on larger holiday lets in residential areas and grant local authorities the power to revoke licenses where premises repeatedly cause disturbances to neighbours.
“This is not about ordinary holiday lets and is not an attack on tourism,” she told the chamber.
“There are many holiday lets in my ward and they act responsibly and contribute positively to the economy. This motion does not affect the vast majority of holiday accommodation in Flintshire.
“There are, however, under the same planning and tourism legislation, some properties which are being marketed for high occupancy groups, corporate events and celebrations. They are large, very high value properties which are not operating like traditional holiday lets.
“They include entertainment rooms, casinos, bars, outdoor spaces, sound, lighting systems and facilities designed for large groups. They are like private clubs which you can have rooms to stay in.
“The impact of such properties on nearby residents is incredibly distressing. Residents are being subjected to noise and disturbance weekend in, weekend out and into the early hours of the morning.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say some of my residents, or residents in my ward, are at breaking point with this.
“Flintshire officers are responding using the legislation that they currently have available, but it’s become clear that the current legislative framework limits what councils can do to address the noise and antisocial behaviour that goes hand-in-hand with these types of properties.
“Businesses who often live out of the area can respond by saying that they’ve taken reasonable steps to minimise noise and disturbance. The reality is that the same ‘reasonable’ steps need to be taken weekend after weekend as new guests arrive to enjoy their party weekend and the living conditions of those living in close proximity to these properties never improves.
“Councils need the ability to set conditions in advance, including noise management, controls on outdoor entertainment spaces, and meaningful sanctions when disturbance is repeated.”
The motion – which received unanimous support from councillors – will see Flintshire County Council approach all members of the Senedd to push for the introduction of a licensing regime for large-scale visitor accommodation (more than 10 guests).
It will also request Welsh Government consider powers enabling local authorities to:
- Impose licence conditions relating to noise management, outdoor entertainment areas and neighbour liaison
- Require a named responsible manager for licensed premises
- Require management plans for higher-risk properties
- Suspend, restrict or revoke licences where premises repeatedly cause serious disturbance to neighbouring residents
Brynford and Halkyn Labour Cllr Simon Jones backed his ward colleague’s proposal.
“Many families who are living through what can only be described as a nightmare,” he said. “Every weekend from dusk until dawn, they are subjected to nightclub-level noise from a neighbouring property just four metres away from their home.
“The simple enjoyment of family life in their own home has become impossible. They feel trapped, unable to enjoy their property and believing they would struggle to sell it because any prospective buyer would quickly discover the ongoing disturbance next door.
“There remains a significant gap in the powers available to local authorities where properties are deliberately operated in a way that causes ongoing harm to surrounding communities.”
Another Labour councillor – Glyn Banks – was also vocal in his support, having experienced a similar issue in his Llanasa and Trelawnyd ward.
“I totally concur with Councillors Lister and Jones because every single word they said could have been spoken by Councillors Gina Madison and myself because we’ve also got one of these in our ward and it’s an absolute nightmare for the neighbours.
“We want to increase tourism, but we want the right kind of tourists to come here, not party houses which are causing nightmares for people.”
By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter
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