Families in the Yorkshire fishing port said they were valued by the housing market as wealthy incomes paid exorbitant prices for holiday holes. About 28% of Whitby properties are used as second homes and in a recent development 19 of the 20 new homes were sold as holiday rentals, according to a local councilor. In a poll of city dwellers on Monday, 93% voted in favor of restricting the sale of newly built and additional housing to full-time residents. The poll, which had a 24% turnout, is not legally binding, but organizers said they hoped it would influence Whitby City Council and Scarborough City planning decisions. The result is the latest sign of turmoil in Britain’s tourist destinations, as local families struggle to match the prices paid by those who want second homes by the sea. In Cornwall, the Honeypot areas of St Ives, Fowey and Mevagissey voted to limit the sale of new buildings to full-time residents. The Welsh government recently increased the maximum municipal tax rate for second homes from 100% to 300% amid concerns that places like Anglesey and Gwynedd, home to the stunning Llŷn Peninsula, were flooded with holidays. The Whitby Community Network, which conducted the poll, said it hoped the results would send a clear message that “change is needed.” A spokesman said: “The results of the poll clearly show the power of emotion in the local community. We believe our elected councilors will take action.” Allow content provided by a third party? This article contains content hosted on theguardian. We ask for your permission before uploading anything, as the provider may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click “Allow and Continue”. Sandra Turner, who has lived in Whitby since she was a child, said residents wanted to send “a very strong message that enough is enough”. He told the BBC: “It’s not that we are against tourism, we are not, but we do not want to leave our city. We must be able to live here, we must be able to work here, families want their families to stay here and not leave and that is what happens. “People have to move out of town to be able to live and get a house.” A Scarborough City Council spokesman said: “The result of the poll is nothing more than an expression of the views of the electorate of the parish that voted in the ballot and is not binding on any organization.”
