Letter: Holiday lets causing a housing shortage
One of the main reasons for the housing shortage, particularly in rural areas, is that so many houses are now holiday lets, effectively sterilising the properties for ever more.
This factor seems not to have been considered when assessing the housing needs of local people, who cannot afford the £250-£600 per week rents of even the most modest cottage in Church Stretton or Bishop's Castle.
You cannot blame property owners for maximising profits for their homes, but very soon all the available homes will be holiday lets, unless new laws are introduced to limit such use.
A conflict of interest exists whereby tourist organisations, which are supported by local councils, actually support the use of holiday lets, whilst the same authorities wring their hands over the lack of affordable houses.
Even if every village and market town was doubled in size, there would still be a housing shortage, due to second homes and holiday lets, proliferating at the present rate.
The council should address this very serious problem, which threatens the very future of many Shropshire settlements, before they become 'ghost towns'.
Look on the internet and see how bad the problem is.
W F Kerswell, Picklescott, Church Stretton
