Cornwall Council to buy two holiday parks to house people

Almost 30 homeless single people and families could be housed in former holiday parks in Cornwall.

There is a shortage of temporary accommodation in the county so Cornwall Council has agreed to buy two holiday parks in Hayle and Helston for the purpose.

At its meeting on Wednesday 22 September, the council’s cabinet agreed to spend £15m to tackle the problem, which would include the sites.

The holiday parks have not been named but the Local Democracy Reporting Service has found out Poldown Caravan and Camping Park in Carleen, near Helston, is for sale. It has permission for residential use throughout the year.

The Hayle site would accommodate 19 households, including single people and small families, while the Helston holiday park would have space for nine families.

Cabinet member Cllr Olly Monk said housing was “the greatest priority facing this council” and providing temporary accommodation was a particular problem. 

There has been a sharp increase in the number of people who have needed temporary accommodation with some families being evicted from their homes as landlords decide to sell up or turn them into holiday homes. The situation has been made worse by a lack of housing to buy or rent.

Cllr Monk said the council had already been working to reduce the reliance on hotels and B&Bs to provide temporary housing and said they were making “real progress”.

He said he was “pleased” to present the plans to “acquire two holiday parks and turn them into accommodation for families in need”.

Cllr Monk said the parks were well-managed and would be able to provide facilities for people in need of temporary accommodation. He said Cornwall councillors in the areas where the parks are located had supported the plans.

He added: “We will bring the site online quickly to help those in need. We find ourselves in a very difficult situation and one that cabinet cannot allow to continue.”

Credit: Richard Whitehouse, Local Democracy Reporter