Late-night partying and 'traumatised' pets - fear and woe over Shrewsbury town centre holiday lets

People who live in Frankwell in Shrewsbury town centre say their pets have been "traumatised by fireworks" from out-of-town visitors and suffered "sleepless weekends".

They have met to voice their concerns and come up with a plan to fight back against the issue, including lobbying Shropshire Council to crack down on nuisance properties.

The group is now calling for ex-council houses to be banned from becoming short-term lets, holiday let owners to pay more in council tax and councils to have power to strip licences from problem properties. Porthill councillor Julian Dean was present at the meeting.

Frankwell resident Mike Edwards said: "People's concerns ranged from the fear of eviction in favour of short-term lets, rent increases, how this would disproportionately impact on the most vulnerable in society, community cohesion, parking, house prices and a new kind of gentrification.

"The biggest fear amongst everyone at the meeting came from their first-hand experience of short-term lets in Frankwell. People spoke about how much they loved the area but were contemplating moving because of the disruption from all-night parties in nearby AirBnbs.

"Having pet animals traumatised by fireworks from revellers and sleepless weekends because of the noise. The group agreed a 12-point plan to licence Airbnbs and campaign to restrict short-term lets in the area."

The group's agreed aims include supporting mandatory registration and licensing of all holiday lets, the designation of a minimum percentage of housing to be reserved for long term residents, and the refusal of planning permission for short-term lets where there is a potential threat to public services, cultural heritage and businesses.

They also want local councils to have the power to rescind licences for nuisance lets, exclude owners from registering short-term lets as small businesses and give residents a chance to comment on plans to change the use of dwellings to holiday lets/Airbnbs.

Mike added: "We support a ban on converting ex-council/housing association properties into holiday accommodation. We recognise (the plans) rely on proper funding being made available to Shrewsbury/Shropshire councils to allow them to enforce any new rules."

The group also discussed how it can build a campaign in the area to support its aims, including posters, leaflets and lobbying landlords and sellers of properties not to sell to buy-to-let profiteers.