Home ownership is a “pipe dream” for him and Aberystwyth’s younger generation, a former town mayor has said, as the town council backed calls to “solve the problem of second homes”.

A group of Welsh councils, including Ceredigion, is bidding to unite to solve what has been labelled a “crisis” in second homes and holiday homes, causing an inflated market, especially post-pandemic times.

Asked to give their support at a meeting on Monday, Cllr Charlie Kingsbury - who served as town mayor last year - called the current situation a “significant inter-generational injustice”.

“Home ownership for me and many people of my generation is a pipe dream,” he told members.

“That for most of the year there will be so many empty houses when some people can’t afford to buy a home in the place they grew up just seems unjust.”

Cllr Dylan Wilson-Lewis said the pandemic had exacerbated the problem, with “prices now rising in all coastal areas” as people leave more urban areas for more space.

Cllr Mair Benjamin said “we are seeing more and more houses and homes becoming Airbnb and holiday lets”.

“There is even an Airbnb in Maes yr Afon, and I never thought I would see it,” she said.

“I feel sorry for Charlie [Kingsbury] and young people.”

Cllr Lucy Huws said second home ownership in the town was a big issue and questioned why so many homes were being sold to people who live outside Ceredigion.

“They are mostly being sold out of the county and there are real moral questions,” she said.

Councillors unanimously backed a plan to join other town, community and county councils in coastal areas of Wales in writing to the Welsh Government calling for something to be done on the issue.

Earlier this month, the Welsh Government unveiled its new “three-pronged approach” to deal with the issue, focusing on addressing affordability and availability of housing; a new regulatory framework and system; and a fairer contribution by using national and local taxation systems to “ensure second home owners make a fair and effective contribution to the communities in which they buy.”