CHEDWORTH has been named as one of the Sunday Times top 30 places to buy a second home in the UK.

But the ranking is far from good news according to one worried councillor who said he wanted new arrivals from outside the village to stay away.

Buyers were enticed to Chedworth which was dubbed as ‘the classy Cotswolds’ in the list.

Councillor David Broad, of Chedworth Parish Council believes outside buyers would damage the community and that the Cotswold Water Park is a far more suitable place for them to invest in property.

“We need more second home owners like the Labour Party needs Ed Miliband,” he said. “They are about as popular as a Mormon in Kabul.

“We have lost too many small affordable homes to developers who demolish them to build five and six-bedroom homes without anybody else snapping up what’s left for the occasional weekend.

“Second or third home owners do nothing for village communities, they take up housing local people could otherwise live in, and by definition they are not around to support local schools or services or take part in village life. They are not around for band or choir practice, WI, horticultural society, pilates, tennis, table tennis, badminton or any of the activities that make a community. ”

Paul Hodgkinson, leader of the Cotswold District Council, Liberal Democrats, responded on Twitter to Chedworth being placed on the list saying ‘villages needed to have homes for young people to stay in too’.

The Sunday Times article read: “Less than 10 miles from Cirencester, it’s far enough from the dreaded Chipping Norton set, but there is enough resident stardust to keep weekenders happy: Kate Moss and Elizabeth Hurley have homes nearby. Community life revolves around the farm shop and cafe, plus there’s a band, choir and drama group. As you’d expect, the honey stone houses don’t come cheap: you’re looking at £600,000 for a three-bedroom cottage.”

Among other locations named in the list were Edinburgh, Cambridge and Woolwich.

What are your views on outsiders buying second homes in Chedworth? Email them to bmc@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk