As Cheltenham transitions to a unitary authority, a critical opportunity emerges to reclaim 750 homes from Airbnb, tackle £1,300 rents, and prevent environmental destruction—but only if we elect councillors who will prioritize people over profit.

Walk through Cheltenham during race week and you'll see a town transformed—visitors clutching betting slips, champagne flowing freely. But beneath this seasonal spectacle lies a permanent environmental catastrophe: 750 homes converted into Airbnb lets, creating a housing emergency that devastates both community and environment.

These aren't spare rooms or occasional holiday rentals—these are complete homes, many originally built as starter properties or key worker accommodation, now permanently removed from residential use. For perspective, this exceeds the combined total of new homes planned in major local developments at North Place and The Folly, which together would deliver only 250 properties.

The Unitary Authority: A Critical Moment for Change

Cheltenham's transition from a two-tier to a unitary authority system represents a rare window of opportunity to address this crisis. The current fragmented governance—where housing, planning, and environmental powers are divided between borough and county councils—has created regulatory gaps that Airbnb exploits with ruthless efficiency.

A unitary authority could consolidate these powers, enabling coordinated action across previously siloed departments. Housing strategies could be aligned with environmental policies, creating comprehensive solutions rather than the piecemeal approaches that have failed us thus far. Most critically, a unitary authority could implement enforceable borough-wide restrictions on short-term lets without navigating the bureaucratic labyrinth of multi-tier approval.

However, this potential will remain unrealized unless we elect councilors who explicitly commit to making the Airbnb crisis a priority from day one of the new authority.

Electing Councilors Who Will Act on Housing and Environment

The upcoming elections aren't merely administrative; they represent a referendum on Cheltenham's environmental and housing future. Every candidate must be assessed on their willingness to confront the Airbnb crisis directly.

Ask your council candidates: "What specific policies will you implement to return Cheltenham's 751 Airbnb properties to residential use, and how will you use the unitary authority's powers to make this happen?"

The councilors we elect will determine whether the new unitary authority becomes a powerful tool for community protection or simply another layer of governance captured by property interests. This is not a secondary issue—it must be the litmus test for every candidate seeking office.

The Hidden Carbon Footprint That Councilors Must Address

As housing supply constricts, rents have soared to an average of £1,300 per month. The Cheltenham Tenant Union's research reveals residents spending between 30% and 40% of their income simply to keep a roof over their heads.

This financial stranglehold translates directly into environmental harm that our new councilors must understand. When heating becomes a luxury rather than a necessity, tenants keep windows sealed in desperate attempts to conserve warmth. The result? Widespread mold infestations damaging both buildings and human health. The carbon footprint of a poorly ventilated, damp home—requiring stronger chemicals, more frequent redecoration, and causing respiratory illnesses—far exceeds that of a properly maintained dwelling.

Green Spaces at Risk Without Council Action

The environmental absurdity compounds as developers cite housing shortages to justify building on Cheltenham's precious green belt. The madness is almost theatrical: concrete pouring over meadows while perfectly good homes sit empty five days a week, waiting for the next weekend tourist.

Under a unitary authority, councilors would have unprecedented power to protect these green spaces—not by blocking all development, but by ensuring existing housing stock serves residents first. If we reclaimed just half of these Airbnb properties for residential use, we could spare hundreds of acres of countryside from development.

This is precisely why we need councilors who recognize that housing policy is environmental policy. The two cannot be separated.

How Council Policies Could Revitalize Local Economy

When 40% of income disappears into a landlord's pocket, what remains for sustainable choices? The organic food shop, the repair café, the zero-waste store—all these environmentally conscious businesses wither as disposable income evaporates.

A unitary authority with committed councilors could implement policies that not only restrict Airbnbs but actively incentivize conversion back to long-term rental or affordable purchase. This would regenerate Cheltenham's High Street by restoring the customer base these businesses need to survive.

The Powers a Unitary Authority Would Have

Under a unitary structure, the fragmentation that has prevented effective action would end. Councilors would gain direct powers to:

1. Implement a mandatory licensing scheme for all short-term lets
2. Impose substantial council tax premiums on properties not used as primary residences
3. Set planning rules that restrict the conversion of residential homes to tourist accommodation
4. Coordinate enforcement across previously separate departmental boundaries
5. Tie housing policy directly to environmental protection and carbon reduction targets

None of these actions is possible without councilors who explicitly commit to using these powers from the moment the unitary authority comes into being.

What to Demand From Your Council Candidates

When candidates knock on your door seeking your vote, ask them:

1. "Will you make reclaiming Cheltenham's 750 Airbnb properties for residential use an explicit priority in your first six months?"
2. "What specific powers of the new unitary authority will you use to address this crisis?"
3. "How will you ensure that housing policy is treated as environmental policy in the new governance structure?"
4. Ask them whether they accept party donations from property developers, landlords and hospitality business.

Accept nothing less than concrete commitments, not vague promises of "looking into the issue" or "balancing different interests."

Make this an election issue. Send a copy of this article to your councillors ask for a response before the election. https://democracy.cheltenham.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0

Reclaiming Cheltenham's Future

The transition to a unitary authority is not an abstract administrative change—it's a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild Cheltenham's housing market around the needs of residents and the environment, not tourist profits.

Every vote cast in the upcoming elections is a vote for or against reclaiming those 751 homes. Every councillor elected will either use the new powers to address this crisis or will allow it to worsen.

The battle for Cheltenham's environment isn't just being fought on its green periphery. It's being fought street by street, house by house, as homes become hotels and communities become commodities. The solution begins not with building our way out of the crisis, but with electing councilors who will reclaim what we already have. Seven hundred and fifty times over.