Letter: Second home 'supertax'

Sir: I'm pleased that someone has at last taken note of the alarming rise in second and holiday homes (" 'Supertax' proposed on second homes", 20 May).

In my immediate locality of Ambleside, during the last 12 months there have been no fewer than five properties sold, all of which have been taken by new owners from outside the area. All of these owners whom I've talked to have very definite plans to turn these properties into holiday-lets, with no plans for any form of permanent occupation.

I'm often left to wonder what will happen when we have a situation where an entire village is temporarily occupied upon a sub-let basis, full of chocolate-box cottages and people searching for "the real Lake District".

The 50 per cent council tax rebate for second-home owners is an absolute scandal. This is a highly emotive and contentious issue with many people and causes no end of bad feeling. There should at least be some considerations allowed to these more sensitive areas. It is something that must be quickly reviewed for change.

F ATKINSON

Ambleside, Cumbria