MOVES to use holiday cottages as much-needed homes for Ryedale workers have taken a step closer.

Councillors gave their seal of approval to investigate ways to relax planning laws to allow properties to be let to people who live and work in the area.

There are strict limits on how long holiday homes may be occupied each year, but now members of the district council's planning committee have backed proposals to look into changing the policy to allow these homes to be let to local workers, an idea spearheaded by the North York Moors National Park Authority.

Coun Jim Bailey, who put forward the idea, said this will go a long way to ease the escalating housing crisis in the area.

Coun Bailey, who is also chairman of the North York Moors planning committee, said: "We have to find a way to tackle the growing problem of providing affordable homes in Ryedale. I think that a change in planning regulations will go some way to doing this and I can't see how this will have any impact environmentally on the local area."

Under current policy holiday cottages should be used to generate money within the local economy.

Supporters of the move say that providing long-term letting or giving workers the chance to buy into the property will do just this.

Lending his support to the motion was Norton councillor, Howard Keal.

He said the character of Ryedale villages is being eroded by the influx of second homes owners and holiday cottages.

He said: "At the moment there are 660 second homes in Ryedale and more holiday cottages, but we don't have any figures. Many of these are concentrated in the picturesque areas of the district like Pickering, Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside.

"In Rosedale East alone there are 142 homes - 36 of these are second homes and we can see the impact this has on the local community."

He sought to have the Local Government Association, which represents councils across the country, lobby Parliament to allow councils to impose higher rates on second homes.

But the proposals received a lukewarm reception from some members.

Norton councillor Allin Jenkins said many of the holiday homes in the district would not be suitable as a permanent residence.

He said: "We have to be careful when dealing with planning as that type of accommodation used for holiday homes is often substandard. This is the reason why these properties are let for holidaymakers because they aren't close to local amenities.

"If we give blanket approval (to letting out holiday homes on a long term basis) there would be major difficulties."