Cornish family of eight facing homelessness move into double-decker buses
Antoni Taylor told ITV News' Kathy Wardle he'd put all of his savings into the project.
A family of eight from Cornwall who were facing homelessness have turned two buses into emergency accommodation.
Antoni and Emma Taylor live with their five children and Antoni's sister Hannah, who has cerebral palsy.
The couple bought a coach believed to have been used as a tour bus by Coldplay, and a former Newquay school bus to turn into their temporary home.
The family had been renting a cottage on the Lizard peninsula, but received a no-fault eviction notice from their landlord who needed to sell the property due to illness.
Antoni had planned to use savings to build an accessible property on a plot of land, but he claims delays in the planning process have put paid to that dream.
Antoni told ITV News: "All of the money I had saved to start putting up a timber-framed house is all gone, because I've had to do something else.
"My landlord needed me to leave and that's not his fault. I tried a solution, but I've been waiting nearly 18 months in the planning system."
Antoni says the family searched for alternate accommodation in the private rental sector as well as social housing, but couldn't find anything that would accommodate their family and Hannah's care needs.He said: "I didn't want to end up in a situation where I was at the council's reception desk with me my sister and our stuff saying help us, which is what a lot of people are having to do down here.
"Everything is too expensive, there's nothing to rent, they keep building these massive executive homes that cost half a million pounds. Your average teacher, nurse, firefighter, grocery worker - no one can afford that."In response, Cornwall Council said: "We are very sympathetic to those who are finding it difficult to find somewhere settled to live as Cornwall continues to experience extreme and unprecedented pressures on housing.
"There is a high demand for accommodation which includes our own housing stock, properties that we rent, or other accommodation.
"We’re building more council housing and have bought open market homes to convert into affordable housing for local people in need.
"We’re also working with developers, local communities, and partners to identify suitable sites."
The authority confirmed the family's latest planning application submitted in July 2023 has not yet been determined. It told ITV News it is carefully considering the application, and intends to make a recommendation shortly.
Antoni says even if the application was approved, he would now struggle to afford the build.
The family is preparing to move into the two buses and will be transporting them to a new rented site by May this year.