Cornwall’s housing crisis was discussed in Parliament today as prime minister Boris Johnson responded to a question from Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay.
St Ives is one of many places where local people have been priced out of the market, both to buy homes and to rent.
At prime minister’s questions, Mr Double said: “We’re currently experiencing a housing crisis in Cornwall where local people are being priced out of the market, whether to buy or rent, by prices being inflated due to the huge demand of people wanting to move to Cornwall to live, or buy a holiday home.
“This is a long-standing problem, but in recent months it has become the worst it has ever been. As the government brings forward their reforms of the planning system, can my Right Honourable friend assure me and the people in Cornwall that this will not be about building lots of homes for wealthy people to buy, but will ensure that the people of Cornwall are able to access the homes that they need.”
The prime minister, in Cornwall recently for the G7 summit, replied: “My Honourable friend raises a point that has been raised repeatedly with me in Cornwall, and we’re absolutely determined to address the issue in question and to work with Linda Taylor, the leader of Cornwall Council — the newly Conservative Cornwall Council — to ensure that we build local homes for local people so that young people growing up in Cornwall have thechance of woning their own home.”
