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!