ABSTRACT
The expansion of second home ownership in the United Kingdom and across Europe is indicative of social restructuring and rural change. Conventional wisdom dictates that ‘second homes’ are ‘occasional residences’ and used primarily for ‘recreation purposes’. Structurally, growth is driven by regional economic inequality. In ‘exporting regions’ (that is, those areas where demand originates), greater affluence and more leisure time is linked to the potential demand for second homes. The spatial distribution of second homes within importing regions is determined by a number of factors. The impacts of second homes are invariably subject to local circumstances and can only be understood in the context of the local housing market. The environmental impact of second homes is again dependent on the types of dwellings used for this recreational purpose. The purpose of this discussion was to consider how different state systems in Europe have responded to particular second home issues.
