Latest news with #Elvins
North Wales Live
10-08-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Houses like this 'truly special' seaside property don't come around very often
It has incredible views and private access to an iconic beach A 'truly special' seaside property in a beautiful part of Gwynedd has gone on the market. Promising 'uninterrupted panoramic views' of the coastline, Glan Y Mor is billed as a waterfront retreat in an iconic location that embodies the idea of coastal living. The detached house in Abersoch, on the Llŷn Peninsula, comes with a hefty price tag, with offers invited in excess of £2.1m. But for this, the buyer will get large plot in a prestige location and a property with magnificent sea views from all four bedrooms. Via a steel ladder, it also has direct private access to the beach in Abersoch's inner harbour. Elvins Estate Agents, which is marketing the property, said this accessibility is a 'luxury few properties can claim'. The company, which specialises in Abersoch properties, is clear about Glan Y Mor's special qualities. It said: 'Imagine waking to the gentle lapping of waves, stepping directly onto the sand from your own garden, and gazing out at an endless panorama of sparkling water. 'This isn't a dream; it's Glan Y Mor, a truly exceptional detached waterfront property offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of Abersoch's coveted coastline. 'Its enviable position provides panoramic views that will captivate you day after day.' In one direction lies the 'expansive beauty' of Warren beach stretching towards the Llanbedrog headland. In the other, Elvins says the 'vibrant activity of Abersoch's inner harbour unfolds before your eyes'. Nearby is the emerging form of Ty Gwyn Abersoch, a new £30m luxury waterfront hotel and apartment complex. Located on the former site of the Whitehouse Hotel, its developers are now aiming for a summer 2026 opening following a series of delays. In some quarters, Glan Y Mor is seen as a litmus test for Abersoch's property market. Currently it's used as a second home and holiday let – a category of ownership under pressure from letting quotas and additional council tax payments. Selling values of other mixed-use properties in Gwynedd have suffered as a result. However Glan Y Mor is expected to buck the trend: its incredible location makes it an almost unique proposition that rarely comes around. It can, of course, be used as a main residence. As it has existing mixed use permissions, it can also continue to be used as a second home or as a holiday let, the later potentially without council tax premiums. Other properties wanting to be used this way now require planning consent under Gwynedd's Article 4 Direction. Online, one local said its use as an Airbnb would attract healthy returns not just for the owner but also for the wider community. 'This house should bring in a lot of people and help the tourism in Abersoch,' they said. As Abersoch's stock of holiday homes has flat-lined, thanks to Article 4, Elvins agrees that Glan Y Mor's dual functionality makes it a 'unique investment opportunity' – one that allows the owner to 'generate income while retaining the joy of a personal coastal retreat'. The property has two bathrooms, a kitchen and a lounge. Above the main living areas, a loft room has potential for further development subject to building regulations approval, said the agency. Elvins added: 'Glan Y Mor is more than just a property; it's a lifestyle. It's the tranquility of private beach access, the drama of ever-changing sea views, and the endless possibilities of Abersoch on your doorstep. 'Don't miss this rare opportunity to acquire a truly special waterfront residence.' Beach access Uninterrupted views Patio dining
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
A patch of sand on a Welsh beach is on sale for £100,000
A patch of sand on a Welsh beach is on sale for £100,000 You could buy a home in some parts of Wales or this small area of sand squeezed between beach huts A patch of sand between beach huts is on sale for £100,000 (Image: Rightmove ) It is just over three metres wide and over seven metres deep. The sand is a little dry for a sandcastle but children could happily bury their parents from their necks to their feet. You might even enjoy a game of bat and ball. Yet this patch of sand on the Porth Mawr beach at Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula is destined for different uses to most patches of sand on Welsh beaches. Squeezed in a gap between rows of beach huts, it is on sale with planning permission for a new hut. The wooden shack that previously occupied the site was damaged in storms and was pulled down by its owner. And the site is now on sale with offers invited for over £100,000, the price of a flat or even a small house in parts of North Wales. It is advertised on Rightmove as being: "An exciting opportunity to acquire a beach hut plot on Abersoch main beach with planning permission to build a new hut. Patch of sand with planning for beach hut for sale in Abersoch (Image: Elvins ) "Benefit from owning your own part of Abersoch beach with the convenience of storage and shelter at the waters edge. Beautiful panoramic views across the bay towards St Tudwals Islands and Machroes Beach." Article continues below The piece of beach with planning is on the market with estate agent Elvins. Beach huts on this stretch have previously gone on the market for more than £200,000. Patch of sand with planning for beach hut for sale in Abersoch (Image: Elvins ) In the planning application, applicant Jonathan Edwards said: "The site is on the coast line of Porth Mawr Beach, Abersoch in a line of similar beach huts running north from the beach access toward the Sailing Club. "The building will only be used as a Beach Hut and no heating will be provided and also no requirement for foul waste will be required. "The rainwater from the roof will discharge directly into the sand which is what occurs presently with the existing beach hut and every beach hut adjacent. Planned beach hut at Abersoch Article continues below "The replacement beach hut is to be constructed from timber which is a sustainable material. It is not considered that the use will have a significant or detrimental impact on the established biodiversity and local environment." Llanengan Community Council voiced an objection "due to overdevelopment" but Cyngor Gwynedd approved the application.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Botched second homes crackdown wipes £30k off house prices
House prices in a Welsh county have fallen by more than £30,000 after a council crackdown on second homes backfired, new figures show. Homeowners in Gwynedd, north west Wales, must obtain planning permission to turn residential properties into second homes or holiday lets under sweeping reforms brought in by the local authority in September. It is also one of several Welsh councils to charge a 150pc council tax premium on properties. However, the Principality's House Price Index for Wales has found that the average property value in Gwynedd is £221,330, down from £252,744 in December 2023 – a drop of 12pc. Prices also fell by 2.8pc in the three months to December last year. By comparison, the average house price across the country dropped by 1pc. In September, the local council introduced Article 4, which requires owners to seek planning permission to turn a home into a holiday let or second home. It was the first council in Wales to make use of the regulation, and Eryri National Park Authority has said it would do the same. This new restriction follows the increase in the second home premium from 100pc to 150pc in April 2023. The tax was initially put in place in 2018 at 50pc, but has subsequently been raised twice. The council has also placed a 100pc council tax on properties that are vacant for six months In a council meeting in November, increasing premiums on empty properties was discussed, but it was decided more consultation was needed before taking any further measures. Local authorities in Wales have the right to increase council tax on second homes by up to 300pc. Rhys Elvins, of Elvins estate agents, said: 'Gwynedd as a whole introduced the Article 4 proposal in September so hit the market, as well as national issues of mortgage rates and the cost of living. 'The council tax has always been around or been around for a while and it does put buyers off. There has been a slow decline in house prices in that area. The peak of the market was the end of 2022 but since then and through 2023 and into 2024 the market has been dropping.' Mr Elvins added that the area had seen a bigger drop-off because of the tax and the increase in stamp duty on second homes that he said has gone 'too far'. In December, Mark Drakeford, Welsh cabinet secretary for finance, introduced a 1-percentage-point rise in land transaction tax on additional properties. The increase costs landlords more than an extra £2,000 on the average house, and comes amid an increasingly tough environment for second home owners in Wales. Last year, the Welsh government announced plans that would force them to register their properties and apply for licences to carry on letting them during another crackdown. Iain Mansfield, chief financial officer at Principality Building Society, said: 'In 2019, Welsh government's own research suggested Wales needs between 6,700 to almost 10,000 new homes of all types on average, annually, to meet housing need. 'Despite the Welsh government's longstanding target to build 20,000 new homes by 2026 to ease housing constraints, current levels of supply are falling short of this requirement.' Gwynedd Council was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
18-02-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Botched second homes crackdown wipes £30k off house prices
House prices in a Welsh county have fallen by more than £30,000 after a council crackdown on second homes backfired, new figures show. Homeowners in Gwynedd, north west Wales, must obtain planning permission to turn residential properties into second homes or holiday lets under sweeping reforms brought in by the local authority in September. It is also one of several Welsh councils to charge a 150pc council tax premium on properties. However, the Principality's House Price Index for Wales has found that the average property value in Gwynedd is £221,330, down from £252,744 in December 2023 – a drop of 12pc. Prices also fell by 2.8pc in the three months to December last year. By comparison, the average house price across the country dropped by 1pc. In September, the local council introduced Article 4, which requires owners to seek planning permission to turn a home into a holiday let or second home. It was the first council in Wales to make use of the regulation, and Eryri National Park Authority has said it would do the same. This new restriction follows the increase in the second home premium from 100pc to 150pc in April 2023. The tax was initially put in place in 2018 at 50pc, but has subsequently been raised twice. The council has also placed a 100pc council tax on properties that are vacant for six months In a council meeting in November, increasing premiums on empty properties was discussed, but it was decided more consultation was needed before taking any further measures. Local authorities in Wales have the right to increase council tax on second homes by up to 300pc. Rhys Elvins, of Elvins estate agents, said: 'Gwynedd as a whole introduced the Article 4 proposal in September so hit the market, as well as national issues of mortgage rates and the cost of living. 'The council tax has always been around or been around for a while and it does put buyers off. There has been a slow decline in house prices in that area. The peak of the market was the end of 2022 but since then and through 2023 and into 2024 the market has been dropping.' Mr Elvins added that the area had seen a bigger drop-off because of the tax and the increase in stamp duty on second homes that he said has gone 'too far'. In December, Mark Drakeford, Welsh cabinet secretary for finance, introduced a 1-percentage-point rise in land transaction tax on additional properties. The increase costs landlords more than an extra £2,000 on the average house, and comes amid an increasingly tough environment for second home owners in Wales. Last year, the Welsh government announced plans that would force them to register their properties and apply for licences to carry on letting them during another crackdown. Iain Mansfield, chief financial officer at Principality Building Society, said: 'In 2019, Welsh government's own research suggested Wales needs between 6,700 to almost 10,000 new homes of all types on average, annually, to meet housing need. 'Despite the Welsh government's longstanding target to build 20,000 new homes by 2026 to ease housing constraints, current levels of supply are falling short of this requirement.' Gwynedd Council was approached for comment.
