People in one of the most popular tourist towns in the North have voted to ban new houses being used as holiday lets and second homes.

Over 500,000 people visited Whitby last year but local people fear they’re being priced out of their own town as the cost of homes soar. In a parish vote 2,111 voters wanted all new-build and additional housing to be restricted to full-time local occupation as a primary residence, 157 people voted against it, with 22 per cent of people in the town voting.

Mayor Councillor Linda Wild said it showed there is huge support and although the vote is not binding they will be going to Scarborough Council calling for action. But the Mayor of Scarborough Cllr Eric Broadbent warned restrictions can backfire and it can put people off coming.

Cllr Wild said: “This was done on behalf of the community. In the past 18 months property prices have gone through the roof, we live on Church Street and 85 per cent of the homes are holiday lets. It has been a frenzy, last month 350,000 people looked at Whitby on property sites.

“Local people don’t stand a chance when it comes to buying a house. People fear their children won’t be able to afford homes. Businesses are struggling to recruit staff from outside the area because there is nowhere for them to live. It is not a malicious act, we love visitors we want people to come to Whitby and have a good time, it is an act of desperation by the community because it affects your life so much.”

Cllr Wild said of the latest development of 20 houses, 19 had been sold for holiday lets. “Any new houses are being snapped up for second homes and holiday lets, this vote has been community led because there is so much concern,” she added.

Cllr Broadbent said the vote was understandable because a lot of Whitby residents born and bred in the town can’t afford to buy houses. He added: “It is sad, but it is the market, tourists do bring in money and work for people, it is a difficult situation. But restricting it can backfire, it can have a downward trend on visitors. It is a large problem the answer is to build more social housing and affordable homes, hopefully this is what the Government will be looking at."

The poll also asked Whitby residents if they wanted to remain in the Scarborough Area committee when the new North Yorkshire County Council is created and the vote was against being with Scarborough with 253 voters saying yes while 1,982 said no.