Beach hut owners at Mudeford Spit and Hengistbury Head will face higher Council Tax bills after the local authority confirmed plans to remove a long standing discount from this year.
The change means the huts will be charged at the full second home Council Tax rate, after being reclassified to reflect how they are used, with the council saying the move will help support essential services for local residents.
The huts were historically given a reduced charge, but the authority says professional advice confirms they should be treated as holiday homes, as they are furnished, not used as main residences, and occupied for only part of the year.
From April, the huts will be classed as second homes with planning restrictions, bringing them into line with Council Tax rules applied elsewhere across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and replacing arrangements inherited from the former councils.
Just over three hundred and forty beach huts will be affected, with more than two hundred owned by people who do not live in the council area, and all are currently in the lowest Council Tax band.
Councillor Mike Cox said the authority faced ongoing financial pressures and needed to use all available options to protect services important to residents, adding that the change aimed to deliver fairness and consistency across the area.
Further details and support information will be published on the council website.
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