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Unoccupied dwellings – Cornwall’s hotspots


A view over Portreath

Much is made by ‘build more houses’ supporters of a lack of housing. Oddly enough though they fail to mention the existence of unoccupied properties. Unoccupied dwellings include those deemed empty, second homes and holiday lets. In Cornwall in the 2021 census, some 35,000 properties were recorded as being unoccupied. It is estimated that of these there were at least 23,000 second homes and holiday lets. The number is probably higher than this as no doubt a considerable proportion of the 5,600 unaccounted for will also turn out to be holiday or second homes. The total of second homes and holiday lets could therefore be around 28,700.  Some 6,300 were estimated to be empty. An element of empty housing is common reflecting factors such as where the owner has died, undergoing repairs and simply awaiting a new owner or tenant.
 
Between 2011 and 2021 there was a net increase of 6,168 unoccupied dwellings, equivalent to 23% of all new build. Nearly half of this increase occurred in just eight MSOAs. All are coastal indicating the desire to have a second home or holiday let in such areas.
 
Table 1 Unoccupied dwellings

MSOA code

MSOA name

2011

2021

Change N

Change %

33

Perranporth & Goonhavern

388

1,195

807

208

73

The Lizard

966

1,370

402

42

54

St. Ives & Halsetown

1,318

1,660

342

26

58

Towednack, Leland & Carbis Bay

473

760

287

61

57

Hayle

252

535

283

112

32

Grampound Road, St. Newlyn East & Cubert

195

470

275

141

20

Newquay West

891

1,125

234

26

45

Illogan & Portreath

215

425

210

98

With the exception of St. Ives and Halsetown all areas also saw a rise in occupied dwellings. Table 2 shows the % share of occupied and unoccupied dwellings. [Changes are net taking into account both old and new dwellings]. So in Towednack, Lelant & Carbis Bay, the equivalent of 91% of additional dwellings were unoccupied, followed by Perranporth & Goonhavern with 71% and The Lizard with 66%.

 

Table 2 change by occupied and unoccupied

 

Dwellings 2011 to 2021

 

Occupied

Unoccupied

Total

MSOA Name

N

N

% of total

N

Perranporth & Goonhavern

323

807

71

1130

The Lizard

210

404

66

614

St Ives & Halsetown

-210

342

259

132

Towednack, Lelant & Carbis Bay

29

287

91

316

Hayle

484

283

37

767

Grampound Road,

St Newlyn East and Cubert

359

275

43

634

Newquay West

454

234

34

688

Illogan & Portreath

211

210

49

426

Lanreath, Pelynt & Polruan

336

186

36

522



We have a situation where developers put forward proposals for new housing on the basis that it is ‘much needed', yet much of it is not used for actually housing people. We have excessive house building but a housing crisis!
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