North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker slammed over holiday homes

North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker welcomed chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget announcement to abolish tax breaks for holiday homes, which aims to improve the availability of housing for locals in tourist hotspots. 

Until then, tax breaks have made it more profitable for holiday home and second home owners to let out their properties to holidaymakers instead of long-term tenants.

But now, critics say just a month later, the MP has "flip-flopped" on his previous backing of the changes - saying he no longer supports the plan as it could "damage" north Norfolk's tourist trade. 

This is despite almost half of all properties in areas like Wells-next-the-Sea, Brancaster and Burnham Market being holiday lets or second homes - forcing locals out and creating 'ghost towns and villages' out of the summer season. 

There are currently more than 2,300 people on the housing waiting list in north Norfolk. 

READ MORE: North Norfolk in 'the grip of housing emergency' despite 500+ homes sitting empty

North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker (Image: Newsquest)

"I don’t support the plans," Mr Baker said in a Facebook post after meeting with owners of holiday lets in north Norfolk last week.

"Whilst well intentioned, I think in our area the majority of furnished holiday let owners will simply sell.

"This will damage the tourist trade, those that live and rely on it and those houses will more than likely not go to benefit local people, but become more second homes.

"I’m actively talking to the minister about my worries and will do all I can to support local businesses and livelihoods."

North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker's Facebook post yesterday (April 4) in which he said he no longer supports the plans to abolish tax breaks on holiday homes (Image: Duncan Baker)

However, when the Budget was announced last month Mr Baker said it was a decision he had "been calling for", which he was "pleased to see".

“The abolishing of the tax advantages for furnished holiday lets will help support and incentivise landlords to move towards letting their homes under long-term lets," he told this newspaper on March 6, the day the Budget was announced. 

“We have a chronic shortage of long-term rentals for families, so this is something I have been calling for and I am pleased to see it.”

READ MORE: Spring Budget 2024 explained: What it means for Norfolk

"Anything that works to free up housing stock is positive."

That's TV spoke to @duncancbaker about how this week's Spring Budget could impact residents of North Norfolk. pic.twitter.com/yCXcK7bTVW

— Thats TV East (@ThatsTVEast) March 7, 2024

Callum Ringer, a Liberal Democrat councillor at North Norfolk District Council, slammed the Tory MP on X, formerly Twitter. 

He said: "Thank you so much Duncan Baker for standing up in support of *checks notes* holiday lets. Anyone got a tiny violin?

"Thousands of local people on the housing waiting list mate, and house prices inflated in part because of holiday lets.

"Which bandwagon next?"

Councillor Callum Ringer, who represents the Gresham ward at North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), posted the message to the MP on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday (April 4) (Image: Callum Ringer/X)

There were 2,306 people on North Norfolk District Council's housing waiting list as of April 8. 

There are currently 137 homeless cases in the region, with 54 households living in temporary accommodation paid for by the district council. 

These households include 38 families and 81 children.

Councillor Wendy Fredericks is the council's deputy leader and portfolio holder for housing and people’s services.

Wendy Fredericks, North Norfolk District Council's deputy leader and portfolio holder for housing and people’s services (Image: NNDC)

She told this newspaper in December: “North Norfolk is in the grip of a devastating housing emergency which is damaging the lives and opportunities for hundreds of households."

“There is not just a human cost to using temporary accommodation, there is also a major financial cost. The council is only able to reclaim a small proportion of the amount it spends on nightly bed and breakfast-type accommodation.

“If the council places a household in a bed and breakfast costing £700 per week we are only able to claim £98 of that cost back.”