"Second home extensions should be limited" - Farron

3.00.00pm GMT Wed 16th Jan 2008

Local MP and Liberal Democrat spokesman for the Countryside Tim Farron is calling for the Department of Communities and Local Government to seek to limit the building of extensions on to second homes. The excessive ownership of second homes, especially in rural areas pushes house prices beyond the means of many local people, and extending second homes only exacerbates this problem.

Mr Farron, who recently proposed his 'Home on the Farm' initiative which would see disused farm outbuildings converted into affordable housing, would like to see the Government act to try and keep house prices in these areas from spiralling out of control.

Tim Farron said:

"This Government knows full well the extent of the difficulties people have in getting on the housing market in areas like mine, and ought to be doing something about it.

"Excessive second home ownership is forcing people out of the countryside, and the extension of second homes makes matters worse. Some villages have been turned into virtual ghost-towns; we need to start doing something about this."