A rally was held on the Eisteddfod's Maes to call on the Welsh Government to introduce a new Property Act.

The rally's message was that campaigning in Wales in the field of property by different organisations had been successful thus far, and that there was a need for sustained campaigning.

Referring to the new powers that local authorities will have to regulate second homes and holiday homes, announced in July one of the speakers at the rally, Walis Wyn George, said: "These important policy changes were won because of the campaigning of the Cymdeithas yr Iaith and local groups such as Hawl i Fyw Adra.

"Many thanks and congratulations to all of you for protesting, for attending rallies and for submitting a response to the different consultations, but on their own they will not lead to a significant reduction in the numbers [of second homes] or create more truly affordable homes for local people."

The campaign group Hawl i Fyw Adra has been protesting in Gwynedd in their attempts to get statutory influence on the housing market, with the county council there introducing an additional rate of council tax of 100% on second homes in April 2021.

This resulted in a small drop in the number of second homes in the county this year, although according to Welsh Government data, it still has the highest number of second homes in Wales with 4720 addresses liable to pay the higher rate of council tax.

Despite this success, campaigners are calling for a comprehensive property act from the Welsh Government to ensure a local home for everybody.

South Wales Guardian: A large crowd congregated outside the Welsh Government's stand on the Eisteddfod maes as part of Cymdeithas yr Iaith's rally calling for a Property Act (Image: Twitter/Cymdeithas yr Iaith).A large crowd congregated outside the Welsh Government's stand on the Eisteddfod maes as part of Cymdeithas yr Iaith's rally calling for a Property Act (Image: Twitter/Cymdeithas yr Iaith).

Cymdeithas yr Iaith have previously used rallies to call for a new act, and today they announced a rally to take place in Llangefni on 17 September.

This latest rally's aim is to put pressure on local authorities to use the new powers that were granted to them by the Welsh Government in relation to housing, and for them to put pressure on the Government to introduce a new property act.

Osian Jones, one of the organisers of the rally and the Nid yw Cymru ar Werth (Wales Is Not For Sale) campaign said: "Thousands have come to the rallies to call for a property act, so there is no doubt that the public want to protect their communities through a property law.

"The Government has started to listen so we need to continue with our campaign and others need to join the call for homes for local people.

"We will hold the next rally in Llangefni in order to call on Anglesey Council and councils throughout Wales to make full use of the new powers to manage second homes and holiday accommodation, and to listen to local people and speak up on their behalf of and with them to protect communities by pressuring the Government to introduce a property act."

Cymdeithas yr Iaith hope that a new property act will: 

  • Ensure the right to a home locally
  • Plan for local needs
  • Empower communities
  • Prioritise local people
  • Manage the rental sector
  • Provide sustainable homes
  • Invest in communities

A seminar will also be held by Cymdeithas on the potential of a new act in October.