ABSTRACT
The new framework for policy proposed in the last chapter should not be viewed as an assault on second homes, but a strategy for addressing the lack of housing opportunities that some people face in the countryside. Over the long term, Shucksmith’s (1983) assertion that economic vitality and higher incomes are central to reducing housing stress retains currency; but in the meantime, there is a continued need to stabilise communities by combating the processes of social exclusion. However, although second homes are at least part of the ‘problem’, there are
a multitude of additional factors resulting in social exclusion in the countryside. On the demand side, purchasing by retiring households, commuter pressures, housing being bought by urban ‘down shifters’ looking for the slower pace of country life, general migration flows, and ineffective local demand caused by low wage economies in many rural areas are all important. On the supply side, general planning constraints on land release, middle class resistance to new housing development in the countryside, inefficiencies in the planning process, the low quality of some rural housing stock, and a prioritisation of environment goals over social concerns – especially in ‘important’ landscapes – all have a part to play in driving social exclusion. Within this context, it is vitally important to ‘position’ the second home issue
and, if necessary, design solutions that address particular second homes concerns as part of a broader response to the full body of housing demand and supply pressures. In this conclusion, we focus on:
. Positioning second homes in the wider spectrum of pressures currently facing rural areas: knowing how second homes fit in the wider picture is a prerequisite for formulating any operable response;
. The key messages emerging from the previous chapters, including what can be ‘learnt’ from different national situations, and the main elements of any future policy framework in the UK;
. The myths and misconceptions that surround the issue of second home purchasing – especially in the UK – and why such myths are regularly propagated by some local authorities; and finally
. What the future might hold for second homes and second home purchasing in Europe; what is likely to happen to the second home market in the years ahead and what role is property investment likely to have if social welfare regimes sink further into financial deficit?
