By Mike Sheridan, Local Democracy Reporter

COUNCIL tax on second homes in Shropshire will double from 2025 after a decision by Shropshire Council.

The council hopes it could bring more properties back into use as main homes while generating an increase in revenue for the council.

Under government legislation approved earlier this year, local authorities can apply a 100 per cent premium on second homes, with 12 months notice for the changes to come into effect.

The changes were agreed on December 14 as Shropshire Council prepares to set its council tax for the coming financial year.

Changes agreed for the next year will see domestic properties charged a 100 per cent premium after they’ve been empty for 12 months, instead of the current 24 months, which will add the equivalent of 455 band D properties to the council’s tax calculation for the new financial year.

An existing tax premium on properties which have been empty for more than five years will continue, at three times the normal rate of council tax, while properties which have been empty for more than ten years will continue to pay four times the amount of regular council tax.

The motion to adopt the changes was approved by a unanimous vote of the council.

Councillor Gwilym Butler said the move would hopefully bring more properties back into use as main registers and that it was not an attack on the tourist industry but for those hiding second homes as commercial holiday lets without paying appropriately.