Londoners with holiday homes by the sea are bracing themselves for a tax blow next year.

Brighton and Hove City Council has warned more than 2,500 second homeowners they face a council tax hike.

Chris Taylor, the council's chief finance officer, wants to reduce the current 50 per cent discount for second or holiday homes to ten per cent.

Under the new Local Government Act, he also intends to target the owners of properties which remain unoccupied for a long time.

Mr Taylor said: "Long-term empty properties can cause considerable blight to local communities and act as a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour."

The cost of levying the new rules has been estimated at £100,000 but the council could earn a £1 million Government bonus by implementing the plans.

Green councillors said they were in favour of the new levies being imposed after being told there were 1,072 long-term empty homes and 2,633 second homes in the city.

Finance spokesman councillor Simon Burgess said: "Given the housing shortage in the city, the decision to remove the discount on long-term vacant properties could make hundreds of homes available to people in housing need.

"Members of all political parties broadly support this proposal"

The council's own housing stock would be subject to the empty homes charge but only a tiny number of homes remain empty for a long time.

Monday December 08, 2003