English: No problem. I think, in the first instance, I'd like to thank you for extending an invitation to us to attend the committee meeting this morning in order to give an overview of the research that we prepared recently as an authority, which relates to managing the use of homes as holiday accommodation. The work was prepared back in December of last year, and it was reported on to a meeting of Gwynedd Council cabinet at that time. Originally, the research was undertaken in light of general concern about the number of residential units used as holiday accommodation and the implications of that for communities. The main aim of the work was to suggest possible mechanisms to find solutions to these problems. The provision and proliferation of holiday homes has increased recently, as well as the related impacts. It appears that north Wales as a holiday destination, the use of holiday accommodation as a financial investment, the ability of people to work from home, and the introduction of the internet and marketing platforms, such as AirBnB, have contributed substantially to the recent growth in numbers. It appears, too, that the impacts of the pandemic have highlighted issues related to holiday accommodation even further, meaning that the research paper and its conclusions are even more timely and characteristic of the situation. It's worth emphasising that the research looks particularly at short-term holiday lets - units defined as residential units let on a commercial basis for holiday accommodation. The work also looks at second homes, defined as a residential home used occasionally by the owner, but is not the main residence of that owner. As you know, since the publication of this research, there has been further research undertaken on the issue, including a paper that is the subject of your inquiry as a committee, prepared by Dr Simon Brooks. It's noted that some of the data and statistics used within the research by Dr Simon Brooks is based on the research undertaken by Gwynedd Council and, in addition to that, Simon Brooks's research also included an overview of the research carried out by the authority. As part of the research, we tried to get a better understanding of what can be delivered through the current planning regime. Usually, the use of a residential home for holiday purposes falls within the definition of a C3 use class residential property. In the research paper, reference is made to legal cases where decisions were based on the fact that the scale of the use made of a residential unit as short-term holiday accommodation means that there is a material change of use that's happened and that planning permission is required for that change of use. It's worth noting, however, that even if there was a basis to take enforcement action against the operator of holiday accommodation, that enforcement is burdensome and is reliant on having resources, time and evidence from a third party. Further, it might be possible for operators to make an application for a lawful use certificate if they can prove that that usage has been in place for 10 years or more.
Welsh: Iawn, dim problem. Dwi'n meddwl, yn y man cyntaf, buaswn i'n dymuno diolch ichi am estyn y gwahoddiad yma i ni fynychu cyfarfod y pwyllgor yma er mwyn cyflwyno trosolwg o'r gwaith ymchwil rydyn ni wedi'i baratoi yn ddiweddar fel awdurdod, sy'n ymwneud efo rheoli'r defnydd o dai fel cartrefi gwyliau. Paratowyd y gwaith yn ôl yn Rhagfyr y llynedd, ac fe adroddwyd arno ar y pryd i gyfarfod o gabinet Cyngor Gwynedd. Yn wreiddiol, fe gynhaliwyd y gwaith ymchwil yn sgil pryder cyffredinol ynglŷn â nifer yr unedau preswyl a ddefnyddir fel llety gwyliau a goblygiadau hynny ar gymunedau. Prif nod y gwaith oedd ceisio awgrymu mecanwaith posibl er mwyn cael datrysiad i'r broblem. Mae'r ddarpariaeth ac amlder cartrefi gwyliau wedi esblygu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ynghyd â'r effaith gysylltiedig. Mae'n debyg bod gogledd Cymru fel cyrchfan gwyliau, y defnydd o lety gwyliau fel buddsoddiad ariannol, gallu pobl i weithio gartref a dyfodiad y rhyngrwyd a llwyfannau marchnata, megis AirBnB, wedi cyfrannu'n sylweddol at y twf diweddar yn y niferoedd. Mae'n debyg bod sgil-effeithiau'r pandemig wedi amlygu materion yn gysylltiedig â llety gwyliau hyd yn oed fwyfwy, gan olygu bod y papur ymchwil a'i gasgliadau yn fwy nodweddiadol ac amserol. Mae gwerth pwysleisio bod yr ymchwil yn edrych yn benodol ar lety gwyliau tymor byr, sef unedau a ddiffinnir fel unedau preswyl sy'n cael eu gosod allan ar sail fasnachol ar gyfer defnydd gwyliau. Ymhellach, mae'r gwaith hefyd yn edrych ar ail gartrefi, a ddiffinnir fel tŷ preswyl sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio yn achlysurol gan y perchennog ond ddim yn brif gartref iddynt. Fel y gwyddoch, ers cyhoeddi'r ymchwil yma, mae yna waith ymchwil pellach wedi cael ei gynnal ar y mater, gan gynnwys papur sy'n destun eich ymchwiliad chi fel pwyllgor, sef y papur a baratowyd gan Dr Simon Brooks. Nodir bod peth o'r data a'r ystadegau a ddefnyddir o fewn y gwaith ymchwil gan Dr Simon Brooks yn seiliedig ar waith ymchwil Cyngor Gwynedd ac, ymhellach, mae gwaith ymchwil Simon Brooks wedi cynnwys trosolwg o waith ymchwil yr awdurdod. Fel rhan o'r gwaith ymchwil, fe geisiwyd cael gwell dealltwriaeth o'r hyn y gellir ei gyflawni drwy'r weithdrefn gynllunio bresennol. Yn arferol, fe ystyrir bod y defnydd o dŷ preswyl ar gyfer dibenion gwyliau yn ddefnydd sy'n disgyn o fewn y diffiniad o dŷ preswyl C3. Yn y papur ymchwil, fe gyfeirir wedyn at enghreifftiau o achosion cyfraith sydd wedi'u dyfarnu ar sail y ffaith fod graddfa'r defnydd a wneir o uned breswyl ar gyfer defnydd llety gwyliau tymor byr yn golygu bod yna newid defnydd materol wedi digwydd, a chan hynny fod angen hawl cynllunio ar gyfer y defnydd. Mae gwerth nodi, fodd bynnag, hyd yn oed pe byddai yna sail i gymryd achos gorfodaeth yn erbyn gweithredwr llety gwyliau, fod gweithredu drwy orfodaeth yn feichus ac yn ddibynnol ar gael adnoddau, amser a thystiolaeth gan drydydd parti. Ymhellach, efallai y byddai modd i weithredwyr wneud cais am dystysgrif defnydd cyfreithlon os oes modd iddynt brofi bod y defnydd wedi bod ers 10 mlynedd neu fwy.