Home seller wins 'locals' appeal

The locals-only ruling aims to prioritise housing to people in Gwynedd

A house owner has won the right to sell his home without having to offer it to only a local person.

Gwynedd Council imposed the restriction on the three bedroom bungalow owned by Neil Jospeh Noutch to prioritise housing for local people.

Mr Noutch put the property on sale in August 2007 for £335,000 but later asked for the clause to be lifted.

His application was refused so he appealed to the planning inspectorate, which has now ruled in his favour.

In the judgement, the inspectorate says "there is no evidence that the discharge of this obligation would materially effect the social and cultural fabric of the area."

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: "Whilst the council disagrees with the inspector's decision, this ruling shows that applications of this nature should be considered on their individual merits and the circumstances which relate to them.

"This decision should not set a precedent for the deletion or amendment of similar applications."