Nearly 8,000 homes in Sussex are second homes owned by Londoners.

The county has by far the most second homes belonging to Londoners in the UK.

In Brighton and Hove nearly 2,500 homes are owned by Londoners as second homes.

The figure is on top of the 4,000 households which migrate from the capital to Brighton each year – while nearly 20,000 city residents are on the waiting list for council housing.

London dwellers paid an average of £507,945 for a detached home and £222,788 for a flat in Brighton and Hove.

A housing trust boss described a “tsunami” of wealthy Londoners “denying people a place to live” and called for extra taxes on second home owners to subsidise affordable housing.

The research by Hamptons International based on 2011 Census data found 2,700 homes in Chichester were second homes, plus 1,594 in Rother and 1,296 in Wealden.

Johnny Morris, researcher at Hamptons, said: “If you include the number of Londoners moving out of the capital there’s definitely a ripple effect that’s fuelling the local market.

“Brighton is a big draw. There’s a popular image of Londoners buying an isolated country house as a second home.

“But the reality is they often look to towns and cities that have access to the country and seaside, where you can easily stroll out to a restaurant or bar.”

Andy Winter, chief executive of Brighton Housing Trust, said: “In an area with such an acute housing shortage, we don’t need 2,500 second homes for Londoners denying people here a place to live.

“The combination of people having second homes here, and the migration of around 4,000 households from the capital to Brighton each year, puts an intolerable burden on our limited housing resources.

“The only way we can slow down this trend is by ensuring that more homes being built here are earmarked for local people, and the only way we can do that is by ensuring that new homes are for rent within the social rented sector.

“Brighton is a magnet for Londoners able to cash in on high house prices, but this tsunami of wealthy Londoners puts an intolerable burden on housing.

“Where people have second homes in the city, a tax should be imposed with proceeds being used to subsidise affordable housing for local people.”

Councillor Alexandra Phillips, Deputy Chair of the Housing Committee said: “Unfortunately the significant number of second homes in the city isn’t surprising, especially given government policies which do little to help ordinary people live comfortably in their home town. One of the Government’s schemes they claim was for first time buyers, actually also helped people buy second homes. 

“Locally Greens abolished the Council Tax discount that used to be given to people with second homes here, and we also introduced an extra 50% Council Tax levy on properties that had been left empty for two or more years. These both discourage wealthy people from elsewhere hogging homes desperately needed by local people. 

“We also support calls for changes to the planning system which would allow councils to cap the number of second homes in their area. 

“Ultimately without Government action to make sure that the hoarding of homes is discouraged, local Brighton and Hove residents will continue to be priced out of our city. ”