Sign the Petition: Stronger Licensing for High-Occupancy Visitor Accommodation

A Senedd petition calling for stronger licensing of high-occupancy visitor accommodation in Wales is now live, and I'd urge everyone in Brynford and Halkyn — and beyond — to sign and share it.

High-occupancy visitor accommodation can support Welsh tourism, but some large properties are used for events, celebrations and group stays that cause repeated noise and disturbance to nearby residents. Current planning, environmental health and anti-social behaviour powers do not always allow councils to act effectively. Welsh Government's visitor accommodation licensing framework is an opportunity to give councils clearer powers to set conditions and protect communities.

Residents should not have to lose sleep weekend after weekend before councils have the power to act. Across North Wales, concerns have been raised about high-occupancy visitor accommodation causing repeated noise and disturbance, including near Old School Manor in Halkyn and Rhos Sea Manor in Rhos on Sea.

More details

These cases highlight a wider gap in the law. Some properties are marketed for large group stays, celebrations and events, with facilities that can make them operate more like private venues than traditional holiday lets. Yet councils are often left relying on reactive planning, noise and anti-social behaviour powers after the harm has already happened.

A stronger licensing regime would provide the ability to set clear conditions in advance, including noise management plans, controls on outdoor entertainment areas, named responsible managers and effective sanctions where serious disturbance is repeated. This would protect residents, support responsible operators and give communities confidence that the system can respond before problems become entrenched.

My statement

I am calling on Welsh Government to introduce stronger licensing for high-occupancy visitor accommodation in Wales.

There is excellent tourism accommodation in Brynford and Halkyn, where operators act responsibly and contribute positively to the local economy. The actions requested by this petition would not affect the vast majority of holiday accommodation.

This petition is about large properties marketed for high-occupancy group stays, corporate events and celebrations, where the impact on nearby residents can be very different from a traditional holiday let.

Residents should not have to endure repeated noise and disturbance before stronger safeguards can be considered. I am asking Welsh Government to give councils clearer licensing powers, including the ability to set conditions around noise management, outdoor entertainment areas, named responsible managers and action where serious disturbance is repeated.

This is a live and distressing issue in Brynford and Halkyn, but it could affect communities anywhere in Wales.

Please sign and share

Sign the petition here  |  Share on Facebook

Earlier this month, Flintshire County Council unanimously backed my notice of motion calling on Welsh Government to act on exactly this issue. You can watch the moment the vote passed below.

Links

The Leader - Stronger licensing powers needed to tackle 'party house' problems

Read about the full council debate and unanimous vote