Today over 6% of homes in Cornwall are second homes. As many again are holiday homes (those let for rent to holiday makers).

Most used to be full time family homes.

Second and holiday home ownership in some Cornish parishes is as high as 80% and from 2000 - 2005 there was a growth of over 40% in the number of second homes in the county.

Every house that is a second home or holiday home, is a home that is not available for a local family to live in. Every house that stands empty for part of the year means there is one less family making year round use of the services in that area; the shops, the schools, the buses, the Post Office.

It is extremely difficult for local people on local wages to compete with cash buyers from out of the county, who are also pushing house prices up in the county.

And with so many people in Cornwall looking for a home, but unable to find one, it is impossible to ignore the irony of the situation.

So how are we trying to meet local housing need?

Cornwall now has amongst the lowest proportion of affordable homes in the county. Just 11.28% Council housing compared to 18.98% Council housing nationally.

There is no denying that we need more affordable homes in Cornwall and on a positive note, Councils are now using the extra money raised from Council Tax on second homes to invest in social housing schemes. But it is only a drop in the ocean.

Since Right To Buy, one in three council houses have been sold in the county, that’s 10,073 affordable homes sold off.

Social Housing in Cornwall increased from 26,901 in 2000 to 26,951 in 2005. This tiny increase occurred because for almost every new property built (1018) another Council House was sold (968).

But, building new affordable homes for local people is only part of the solution. We must also address the issue of increasing numbers of existing, full time homes being converted to second homes and holiday lets.

As long as more and more family homes continue to be bought up and turned over to holiday makers, the housing crisis in Cornwall will continue to worsen.

We are leaving ourselves with only one option to solve the growing crisis, and that is to build more and more homes – which barely replace those converted for holiday use.

A solution?

What if somehow a cap was put on the number of second and holiday homes in the county?

What if, before a house could be sold as a second home or become a holiday home, ‘Change of Use’ planning permission had to be given?

Existing second and holiday homes could stay as second homes, but homes that are currently occupied year round couldn’t be bought up and used for only part of the year without gaining permission.

And just like with conventional planning permission, the plans would be made public and anyone would be free to object to the ‘Change of Use’.

This already stops people turning homes into offices. It already works to keep these homes for families.

It wouldn’t go the whole way to solving the problem, but it would be a step forward.

Want to help?

Affordable Homes Cornwall (AHC) are putting together a dossier for Housing Minister, Yvette Cooper. We will be asking her to bring second home purchase under Planning Legislation and we would like your support with this campaign.

Rather than writing direct to the Minister yourself, we would like you to write to us, giving our proposal your support, perhaps outlining what second home ownership has meant in your town/village. We will send all your letters onto Ms Cooper with our dossier.

Please write FAO: Vicky Garner, 13 The Parade, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1QE or email affordablehomescornwall@yahoo.co.uk