Owning a second home is contributing to the decline of our countryside.  Too many houses are being built on green sites. Our beautiful countryside is disappearing quickly. Trees and bushes, which support our wildlife are being felled to make way for more housing estates.

If all the second homes were to be made available for buyers, there would be less need to create more concrete jungles. A higher tax would encourage the release of these properties back into the market.

The last English survey estimated that 772,000 households had a second home. Of those, 495,000 were in the U.K. This is an increase of 77% in the past ten years.

Wealthy Brits are rushing to buy second homes in desirable locations for investment purposes, leaving locals no chance of buying affordable housing. Local people need the right to live at home beside other family members. 

This practice needs to be controlled, a higher tax may encourage the release of second properties back into the market. 

The government needs to review these taxes now as part of their environmental initiative.