Falmouth campaigners demand more from politicians to tackle Cornwall housing crisis

  • Watch Charlotte Gay's report

Campaigners in Falmouth say the housing crisis in Cornwall remains at breaking point.

Protesters took to the Moor to call for politicians and second home owners to do more to help families at risk of homelessness.

Organisers from housing union ACORN say Cornwall faces an unsustainable housing bubble and an increased demand for second homes and AirBnBs that has seen families across the Duchy facing eviction.

Dan Newcombe says, "We're getting a lot of families who are - not missing rent or anything like that, they're not in rent arrears - but their home is being sold and they have to move out."

Health professionals say temporary housing has a implications for patients' mental and physical health Credit: ITV NEWS

Jennifer Green is a registered midwife and has worked in healthcare for ten years, she says unstable housing has huge impact on a person's health."I've had experience of a case load of young families and young women that have already been in temporary accommodation such as static caravans and caravans. That as a temporary solution ended up being a permanent solution which undermined both their mental health as well as their physical health."

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Masters student Storm Fulara said she struggled to find a place to live for her new course because of the "extortionate" cost of rooms to rent in the Penryn area.

"We're talking like £650 a month which students just cannot afford."

Many argue the amount of second homes in Cornwall makes the housing crisis worse, with many seaside villages starting to empty outside of the summer season.

Artist Camilla Dixon says she started the campaign 'First Not Second Homes' and often asked people who have holiday homes in the Duchy if they've considered its impact on the community.

"They are sort of in denial, or they're not aware, - and these are people think they're socialist, educated aware people."

Cornwall's lead for housing Cllr Monk says "There is an imbalance in supply and demand that we have never seen before." Credit: Cornwall Council

Leaders at Cornwall Council has restated their pledge to find solutions to the 'perfect storm' housing crisis.

They say they have committed to providing hundreds of temporary homes , and have recently acquired two holiday parks, as one way to prevent people from sleeping rough.

Their full plan includes:

  • Providing hundreds of temporary and emergency accommodation places.

  • Buying existing homes to use as social housing.

  • Building more Council houses as well as affordable homes for local people to rent or buy.

  • Unlocking the potential for town centres to be regenerated to provide more housing.

  • Offering loans to bring empty homes back into use.

  • Working with the government to maximise council tax income from second homeowners that declare themselves as holiday lets.

  • Enabling communities to stop new builds being snapped up by would be second homeowners.