Farmer Focus: Rural tourism heaps more pressure on housing

Days have had a definite autumnal feeling to them in early September, giving rise to thought processes around autumn grass planning and building our grass covers ready for the last grazing round in October and November. 

Welcome rain and warmth in August has given rise to exceptional grass growth that has put us in a good starting position for September. Heifers have been scanned, with pleasing results. 

We recorded an empty rate of 1.3% and the vast majority are due to calve within the first six weeks. This, combined with an empty rate of less than 10% in the cows, leaves us with a nice group of surplus in-calf heifers to sell this month.

See also: 12 tips for improving your farm tourism business

About the author

Johnjo Roberts

Livestock Farmer Focus writer

Johnjo Roberts converted his family’s 250ha beef and sheep farm on Anglesey to an 800-head spring-block calving dairy in 2014. Maximising grazed grass and good milk solids are priorities.

Read more articles by Johnjo Roberts

Kids have started to go back to school and Anglesey is starting to quieten down after being unbelievably busy over the summer. The popularity of the island is growing year-on-year and with the impact of Covid on people holidaying in the UK, its growth is booming. 

For all the positive economic impact, there is an inevitable negative and that is in the rapidly increasing demand for houses in the area.

It is inevitable that houses in popular tourist towns and villages will demand a premium. However, due to lack of supply, holiday home searches are now focusing on housing stock previously only occupied by full-time residents.

Now is the time for Anglesey Council to be bold. Outdated planning policy needs to be thrown aside.

The demand for coastal holiday accommodation in areas previously denied new development needs to be satisfied in various forms and design, and residential developments given the green light with necessary local housing and or appropriate Section 106 Agreements, to ensure present and future generations can continue to live in the area. 

To quote Kevin Costner: “If you build it, he will come”. Well, the phrase “don’t build it and they will still come” may be more apt. 

Devon and Cornwall are decades ahead of where Anglesey is. There are lessons of good and bad that can be learned and opportunities to be grasped.