A report to be considered by Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet on 16 July will recommend implementing the Article 4 Direction to control the use of houses as second homes and holiday accommodation.
This means property owners would have to obtain planning permission before changing the use of a main home into a second home or short-term holiday accommodation. The change would come into effect from 1 September.
The move has angered many with one campaign group raising enough money for a judicial review should Article 4 get the go-ahead.
A public engagement period was held last August and September, and the council say submitted comments received careful consideration. The comments and the council's response were considered at a scrutiny meeting in May where a recommendation was made for Cabinet to confirm the Article 4 Direction.
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Cllr Dafydd Meurig, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: "Cyngor Gwynedd wants to ensure local people are able to access suitable and affordable housing locally – that is key to securing the future of our communities.
"Unfortunately, research shows that a significant proportion of people in Gwynedd are priced out of the housing market and that is more evident in communities with higher numbers of holiday homes.
"It is therefore inevitable that the significant number of houses being used as second homes and short-term holiday accommodation is affecting the ability of the people of Gwynedd to access homes in their communities.
"By introducing an Article 4 Direction, the council would have a new tool to try to control the impact of second homes and holiday accommodation. The change would require owners to submit a planning application for changing the use of residential properties into second homes or short-term holiday accommodation.
"Should the council decide to go ahead, Gwynedd would become the first Planning Authority to use these new planning powers introduced by the government.
"Detailed work has been carried out over the past year to set out the case for the change to be made and we are very grateful to everyone who took part during the public engagement period.”
If Cabinet confirms the Article 4 Direction it will apply within the Gwynedd Local Planning Authority area alone (not in Eryri National Park). The change would not apply to properties already established as second homes or short-term holiday accommodation before the Article 4 Direction comes into force.
For more information visit www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/Article4.