Hundreds expected to attend a major protest over Cornwall's housing crisis
The demonstration will take place in Truro, amid calls for no more second homes until every Cornish person has one
A major protest is going to be held amid calls for no more second homes in Cornwall until every Cornish person has a first home.
According to demonstration organisers, the average home cost NINE TIMES the average salary in 2020.
It is understood the Duchy had over 10,000 active Air B&B listings in June 2021, compared to fewer than 70 rental properties available on Rightmove.
That figure is said to be falling day-by-day and in Newquay, as of 31st July 2021, there were reportedly just four properties available.
21-year-old Bella, who lives in Newquay, has organised the demonstration, to be held in Truro later this month.
She said: "We can't have holiday lets charging these massive prices while people cannot even rent in their home towns where they've lived all their lives. For a lot of Cornish people, it's where your ancestors have lived all of their lives as well and we're being driven out, often, very rich people moving down from London in order to have a nice little place by the beach".
Bella added: "Cornwall is not just a nice little place by the beach. We have such a deep culture, history and communities and yet it's being completely crushed by this housing crisis and a web of poverty".
Abigail Harding started a petition to raise the tax on second homes and cap local rents after watching her friend and mum from Newlyn struggling to find a house.
She tells us it is not just people on low wages who cannot get onto the property ladder: "It's people's mums, it's people's cousins, it's people's families living in yurts, living in vans who just haven't been talking to people about their situation because people feel ashamed about their circumstances. That's the most heart-breaking thing about this; people feel like it's their fault.
"It's critical. We've reached, I think, a tipping point now. Historically it was always a problem of local families not being able to buy their first home and that is a problem, obviously that is a tragedy in itself but things have turned a corner now.
"People can't rent anymore and that is a very different set of circumstances".
What is the demonstration calling for?
Hundreds are expected to attend the housing demonstration in Truro.
Organisers say: "Come to the protest, show your support, and you can share your story or someone else’s in living through and experiencing this housing crisis".
They say the protest demands:
1) That George Eustice, Scott Mann, Sheryll Murray, Steve Double, Derek Thomas and Cherilyn Mackrory, commit to sending a public joint letter to Parliament, demanding immediate and material action to end the housing crisis.
2) That all six of Cornwall’s MPs commit to participating in a community-led Housing Crisis Action Plan Group.
3) That Linda Taylor and the newly formed Conservative Cornwall Council agree to the demands of this petition, signed by over 45,000 people as of 6th August 2021, to;
o Levy a higher, more stringent tax on second homes which recognises the threat they pose to local communities.
o Close the loophole which allows them to be classed as 'businesses' allowing them to tap into locally allocated funds and in some cases avoid paying council tax altogether.
o Work quickly towards outlining firm strategies to cap local rents in keeping with local incomes so that local families are not left homeless.
o Use the funds accrued from taxing second homes properly into building FIRST and ONLY affordable homes for local families.
The housing crisis demonstration will take place on Saturday 21st August on Lemon Quay in Truro.