The Welsh government has announced plans to safeguard communities where Welsh is the main language and where there are a large number of second homes.

The interventions include encouraging homeowners to give local people a fair chance when selling their property.

There will also be a new ‘Comisiwn Cymunedau Cymraeg’ commission, which will bring together experts to make policy recommendations to protect and strengthen Cymraeg as a community language.

Proposed schemes include a voluntary ‘fair chance scheme’, to help sellers make decisions about how they sell property, by allowing properties to be marketed locally only, for a fixed period.

The Welsh Government has extended the discretionary powers for local authorities to increase council tax on second and long-term empty homes by up to 300 per cent.

This is part of the commitment to tackle negative impacts of second homes and a lack of affordable housing.

Minister Jeremy Miles said: "For the Welsh language to thrive, we need sustainable communities and good job opportunities in the areas where it is widely spoken.

“This isn’t about imposing solutions, so everything we do will be in line with local communities’ aspirations."

“I’ve said many times that the Cymraeg belongs to us all, as does the responsibility for its future. We’ll have to be brave and tackle things together that might be difficult.

"I’m sure that some of the things the Commission will tell us will be challenging, but that’s important - that’s what will help us find the most effective answers!”

Dr Simon Brooks, who previously published Second homes: developing new policies in Wales for the Welsh government, will chair the commission.  

The members of the commission are:

  • Talat Chaudhri
  • Lowri Cunnington Wynn
  • Cynog Dafis
  • Meinir Ebbsworth
  • Delyth Evans
  • Dafydd Gruffydd
  • Myfanwy Jones
  • Shan Lloyd Williams
  • Cris Tomos
  • Rhys Tudur

Dr Brooks said: “As a commission, we’ll examine the linguistic reality of Welsh-speaking communities today in order to make policy recommendations which will help safeguard them for future generations.

“The commission will produce a comprehensive report, bridging policy areas from education to the economy. By looking at these together, we want to help develop answers to the challenges facing our Welsh-speaking communities as a whole.

“Cymraeg belongs to us all and developing Welsh-speaking communities is crucial to its future as a living language.”