One in six houses bought in South Gloucestershire last year was purchased as a second home or to rent out.

Second homes, defined by HMRC as a property bought by buyers who already have primary residences, made up 17 per cent of all sales last year according to their data.

Around 950 were bought in the financial year 2017-18, with a combined value of £259 million.

This is despite the extra three per cent stamp duty charge on additional properties introduced in April 2016.

In total, around £33 million was collected from stamp duty in South Gloucestershire last year with additional dwellings making up 35 per cent of that amount.

The number bought last year in South Gloucestershire has increased by 14 per cent since 2016-17, when around 830 second homes were purchased.

Across England, almost one in four properties bought last year were classified as second homes.

Around 232,000 second homes were bought, with an estimated value of more than £70 billion.

The National Housing Federation, which represents housing associations, said it was concerned about the impact that buying extra properties has on local communities.

Policy leader Will Jeffwitz said: "In any community, if more homes are bought up as second homes then there are fewer available for residents - and the houses left are more unaffordable.

"If families and young people are priced out of their local communities it can have a hugely demanding impact on community life - with village shops, schools and pubs closing in alarming numbers as a result."